All's fair
by pigwiz
Summary: In love and war...
1. What is wrong with you

All's fair…

Chapter 1: What is wrong with you…

He awoke next to her, but his dreams were again cluttered with another's form. This one was a good woman. She was a fine catch for any man. Her fiery red hair splayed out across the pillow hid her cute face and sea green eyes. The thin sheet barely concealed the clearly nine plus body. She was intelligent, thoughtful and worthy of his trust. And… if you looked up sexy in the dictionary, it would describe her. She was a fine cook, with a good sense of humor. A great lay. Everything most men could ask for in a woman.

Just not him.

She was… convenient, and that's it. Her name was Nancy; he called her 'Nan'. He'd found out how important the name was a few girlfriends ago. He'd found how impossibly impolitic it was to call out someone else's name during sex. His last couple ladies had names ending with 'an' or 'am'. It was easier to cover a slip of the tongue.

She had begun to tell him she was falling for him a while back. So far he'd managed to ignore that messy part. Normally, that would be the signal to him. Time to bail, time to move on… He'd stayed with this one though. He knew his reasons for staying were banal and self serving: She was just far too skilled in the sack. When she spoke of her feelings, he'd nod his head and kiss her into oblivion… jump those sweet bones and go on as if nothing had been said.

He really didn't care what she thought… as long as she stayed for a while longer.

He knew he should feel like shit for doing this to her, but… she was just another in the long line of girls he'd used since… He rolled back over onto his back and reminisced.

High School, College… The nights talking… The first few tentative caresses… The hunger for her touch, her glance, her smile… The first time she had given herself to him, and the times after.

Then, nearly seven years ago, the soul crushing conversation…

'…_Jack? Whadda you mean? With Jack? How… when… but I thought…' _He had said.

'_Well yeah, Jack. What's wrong with Jack? C'mon Freddie, he's your friend!' _She had answered.

'_But we… you and I have been… I mean I thought…' _He had sputtered.

It was her grimace, the slight shake of her head.

The way she had said; '_What is wrong with you?_'

The way she had just… walked away. He was sure bits and pieces of him were walking away with her.

He had taught himself to drink shortly after. He'd seemed to be doing exceptionally well at that: If you call getting kicked out of school for drinking while in class doing well. After a few unintelligible months of pissing off everyone that knew him, he'd turned another corner. He had decided that being drunk constantly really got him nowhere, so he'd stopped.

He then put all the pent up tension into school. He moved to Austin Texas and continued his education at UT. He graduated with a Masters in Computer Sciences his, skills being mostly in programming languages. Now, all he did was ruin young women. Just like this one, in the bed next to him. He'd string them along until they had enough of his crap, or he had met some other new victim. In the later case, he just told them goodbye. He gave them no reasons, he wanted no reactions, he would just leave.

He had wandered around the south west for a few years. He mostly worked as a cell phone salesman in shopping malls. Now he was in Sioux Falls, South Dakota doing the same thing: cell phone sales at a kiosk in a mall. He liked malls. The obvious reasons were that it was inside, clean and temperature controlled. But, his real reasons were all the young women that shopped and worked there. Fidelity wasn't something he had concerned himself with for the last few years.

She broke his reverie with a gentle, sensual kiss. One thing led to another, and while in her mind, she made love to him, he thought it was nice to get laid.

A few days later, during a lull in business at his kiosk, he was thinking about old times again. Years ago, while he was in his drunken haze stage, he had heard that Jack had moved to Southern California with who he had thought should be his girlfriend, Sam. Jack had always wanted to be a writer for television shows. He had no idea if that had ever panned out. He also knew that they had married. He'd gotten the invitation while in his last year at UT. He'd avoided that like the plague. Jack's last name was Henning… If he or Sam had a cell phone with his company, it would pop up in a client search.

He typed it in:

**SAMANTHA HENNING**

Nothing returned. He tried a number of variations on the name, but still nothing. A few customers came to his kiosk; he was busy for a short while, then he ran out of business again. The mall was dead tonight. Then another thought struck him. While he was in Phoenix, he had gotten a call from Carly. She had gone to work for the State Department and was out of the country often. She had been in town for a conference and had some free time one afternoon. They had a late lunch and caught up a bit. Although neither of them mentioned Sam, Carly had said that Melanie had married a fellow named Branson. He'd remembered that since the name was so similar to his. He wondered, and typed in:

**MELANIE BRANSON**

This time the terminal paused while an account came up…

**Jonathon Branson**

**Melanie Branson**

**3714 E. Randall St.**

**Greenville, Rhode Island**

Bingo! He scrolled through the account information until he found the credit check when they applied for the service. Another bingo… The check ran far enough back to mention Melanie Puckett. He'd found her sister at any rate.

By then it had been time to close the kiosk. The next few days he was off work and his time was filled with Nancy and another woman named Pam. Pam was… energetic. He'd nearly been caught, but he had avoided that messiness, so far.

Now, back at the kiosk he had time for more 'research'. He searched through the sister's phone records, looking for calls to a Southern California area code. Nothing this month, but last month there was one incoming and two outgoing calls to the same number in the 714 area… that's So Cal he thought, but he had to look it up… It was.

He found the number was registered to their major competition… but getting information wouldn't be a problem for him. He made a few calls and bought a couple access codes and some passwords from repair tech's that he knew… he was set. He knew he would be doing a full on investigation into this. He'd have to be spending more time at his own tiny apartment. He'd have no time for Nancy, so…

After work that night, he went back to her apartment. He'd been spending the majority of his time there, so that wasn't anything out of the ordinary. He found her waiting for him, watching TV. He fucked her on the couch, and again in the shower. Then told her he needed some space, took the few items he kept there and left. It wasn't pretty, but he really didn't care what she said or thought. He was once again, officially single.

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	2. Moving On…

All's fair

Chapter 2: Moving On…

Back at his apartment, he set up a couple of older laptop computers. Not fast or current enough for the newest games he liked, but plenty good for monitoring terminals. This was easy stuff. All he had to do was make sure the server couldn't identify him. He used the system repair logins he had bought. Nobody ever monitored those since they could pop into the system at any time from anywhere.

He first did a search for her, and typed in:

**SAMANTHA HENNING**

After a short pause, his screen showed:

**Samantha Henning**

**15652 Williams St. Apt. 117**

**Tustin, CA 92780**

Just to make sure this was indeed Sam, he ran the original credit check on file… Previous names came up as Samantha Puckett.

Why hadn't he ever thought of this before… this was her.

He printed out the information, which included her phones 'sim' information, and filed it away in a binder. Each page was slid into a page protector sleeve. Perfect, he thought.

Looking through the information on her account, he noticed that she had been behind in her payments for a few months about three years ago. Now, she was caught up and current.

'Hmmm' he thought… something had happened.

Doing an internet search on Sam brought back almost nothing… a few mentions in a nondescript blog or two about family support in Alcoholics Anonymous… 'Her mom' Freddie thought. Those were all about four years old. Also there was a Facebook page that hadn't been updated in nearly four years.

However, looking into Jack Henning brought back a number of hits. There was a DUI from a bit over five years ago, then another about three months later. Then another DUI about four years ago… it had been a big one. It seems old Jack had driven into a house in Los Angeles. There were no injuries reported but things had gotten dicey… Jack had had the book thrown at him for that. He'd done six months at the LA County jail and was on the hook for a pile of money since he had no insurance.

Woah… then the idiot had embezzled $57,000.00 from where he had worked: One of those rip off check cashing places. He was back in jail, this time for ten years minimum. Scrolling down further showed something that now, wasn't so surprising. Samantha Henning had filed for divorce well over three years ago… Freddie did a quick search on marriage certificates issued in the counties surrounding Los Angeles… Nothing for Henning, or Puckett either. She was single as far as he could tell… not remarried at least.

This put a whole new spin on things he thought. He had planned on some light electronic stalking. Nobody would ever be the wiser. This opened up some entirely new possibilities. First, he had to figure out just what was going on in Sam's life. Easy enough to do since he had her sim card number…

He wrote an SQL query for the data base to locate her cell phone sim card. The query showed 'where is' and 'when is' for the card. In other words, it would return a map able location as to the whereabouts of the cell phone. It was about midnight in South Dakota. That would make it two hours earlier in California, nearly ten PM. He ran the query program. After about ninety seconds he got a return. It showed the location of her phone in a triangulation format based on cell phone tower locations. He downloaded the locations of cell towers for Southern California, wrote a lookup table and plugged it into his SQL program.

He chuckled… It showed the phones location as the 15000 block of Williams Street in Tustin, California.

It worked… she was home. But was she alone?

There are methods of turning the phone on remotely and having it monitor and broadcast video and audio. Unfortunately that left a trail so wide even an idiot could trace it back to him. Sam was smarter than that… No, he needed to be in the immediate area, and that wouldn't be all that difficult. He'd worked for his company for nearly five years. His work record, and sales record were impeccable. Transferring shouldn't be a problem.

On a whim, he checked the complex that Sam lived in: The Alders Apartments. It could be tricky, but there were vacancies all over the complex. One of them should give him visual access to her apartment. He jotted down the phone number of the apartment manager.

A bit further research showed that Sam was working as an Insurance Adjuster for a large regional insurance company. She had been there for some time… over three and a half years. He checked her call records next. Mostly to someone named Cindy that was in the same area code. A few to a guy named Andy, but mostly text messages to and from him… that could be bad.

Freddie was tired by this point. It had been a long day, and none of this would get any easier until he was in California… Time to move, again.

The next morning, he tried to check the text messages for content. He had the headers, the part of the file that showed who the messages were to, and when, but not the actual message. 'Easy enough fix' he thought. He searched Sam's preferences for her phone that were held as a copy on the system of her preferences on her phone. He switched on 'Message Storage' in the system. A cell phone does a systems check each time it 'talks' or 'handshakes' with the carrier it's assigned to. The next time Sam's phone updates cell towers, or lacking that, one of its daily updates, her phone would turn on the storage control since the phone and the system have to match. All of her incoming and outgoing messages would be stored for thirty days. Also stored would be any web browsing, email or voice messages. He would have access to it all.

Now, on to Andy… He typed in Andy's cell number. Andy used his company's cell service. He would be an open book. Freddie turned on the storage system in Andy's phone as well. Downloaded his 'sim' information and sent it to his printer. It was getting late; he had to be at work at noon… He left his system up to monitor both Sam and Andy's whereabouts. It would all be mapped for him when he got home later that night.

That afternoon at the Kiosk, he had a bit of time after the lunch time rush. He checked the corporate web site and found there were three positions available at two different locations in the Tustin, Irvine and Santa Ana area. At two o'clock he emailed his resume to the human resources department that was offering the positions. His phone rang at four. It was corporate… They basically offered him any of the three jobs. He could choose. Freddie asked if he could hold off his choice until he could see the two locations, and speak with the managers. The woman from corporate told him that would be fine, could he be there in less than two weeks. Yes, he could he told her.

His current boss was sad to see him go, kind of. Freddie had earned a reputation as a womanizer in the mall. In a place the size of Sioux City, that wasn't great. Hs boss told him since he'd already been contacted and offered a job; he could take off right then. He wouldn't require the normal two weeks notice. Freddie did just that… left work early, packed his few belongings and called Good Will to come pick up his few bits of second hand furniture. He closed his bank account, gave notice on his apartment and paid the partial month penalty for leaving early.

Spending most of the day closing accounts and services took its toll. He was tired… Finally, at about eight o'clock in the evening he settled into his soon to be gone desk chair and called up the report from his queries. It had very little in the messages report. Sam had made only one call to a local restaurant about six. The mapping query Showed she had driven to work in the morning, and stopped at the restaurant on her way home. A distance of about twenty miles total, both ways.

He packed the remaining items on his desk, including the computers. The queries would continue to run within the cell phone system while he was in transit. He could check them when he arrived in LA.

The next morning, the Good Will truck came by at a bit before ten. They were loaded and gone by ten thirty. He was on the road at eleven. His GPS showed Grand Junction, Colorado was about half way. He called and made a room reservation at a motel just outside of town. The nearly twelve hour drive was uneventful. He arrived at his motel at ten fifty five that night, showered and was asleep by eleven thirty. He woke early, and decided to get back on the road again. He stopped and grabbed a breakfast sandwich at a McDonalds, and was back, heading West on Interstate 70 at eight. Another twelve hours put him at a Motel 6 at the intersection of Interstate 5, or Santa Ana Freeway, and SR 55, also known as the Costa Mesa Freeway.

He was less than a mile away from Sam's apartment. The fun was about to begin.

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	3. It wouldn't be pretty…

All's fair

Chapter 3: It wouldn't be pretty…

He was fidgety, nervous… and didn't get to sleep right away. He dug out one of the old laptops he'd been using to monitor Sam's communications and set it up. Connecting to the wireless available at the motel, he downloaded the messages that had accumulated. Sam had made two phone calls… one to her sister and the other to Andy. There were also some text messages. A few from Cindy; they were wondering about what they would do for lunch earlier that same day. A couple to and from another woman named Clara discussing lunch as well… and some from Andy. He opened the file:

_From A. Freeman _

_To S. Henning_

_Free tonight?_

_From S. Henning _

_To A. Freeman_

_YES!_

_From A. Freeman _

_To S. Henning_

_Ur place at 9?_

_From S. Henning _

_To A. Freeman_

_YES! YES!_

Freddie was pissed, but he couldn't understand why… well he knew why, but he couldn't expect Sam not to have someone in her life. He was still upset about it though. It meant competition. He changed the mapping query for Andy's cell so it was the same as Sam's. Previously, it hadn't stored his locations. Then he remembered he had never gone through Andy's 'sim' information or credit report. There was nothing out of the ordinary on the 'sim' other than a few names that looked odd. Andy had stored four names with first initials only; S. Henning, B. Florence, A. Lockwood and A. Malbry. One other was different also. A number stored only as 'Cassie'. On to the credit report… good credit anyway, current on his bills it seemed… What the FUCK! The account was in two names:

**Andrew Freeman**

**Cassandra Freeman**

**297 Magnolia St.**

**Costa Mesa, CA 92627**

Well now, things are looking up, maybe… Andy seems to have a wife. A quick search through the Orange County and the surrounding counties records came back with nothing, except the marriage license issued to the couple about six years ago. It did look like he was still married. He'd never filed for divorce.

Under 'Cassie' there were two numbers stored. One was marked as 'home', the other as 'mobile'. He jotted down the number and grabbed some change. He had seen a pay phone on the wall outside the motel office. He didn't want to use his cell or the room phone to do this. He dialed the 'home' number…

"…_hello…" _a female voice said.

"_Hello, my name is Chad Wentsworth, I'm trying to find Andy Freeman." _Freddie replied.

"_Yes, that's my husband…" _She replied.

"_Wonderful! Pleased to speak with you. I met Andy some time back and he gave me this number if I was ever in town…" _Freddie responded.

"_I'm so sorry Mr. Wentsworth. He's just left on a business trip… Salt Lake City I think he said. He'll be back in a couple of days though, will you still be here?" _Mrs. Freeman said.

"_Oh, I'm so sorry I missed him… No, I'll be leaving for home tomorrow afternoon. Well, I guess I'll try again next trip. I'll be out here again in a couple months. Thanks so much, and sorry to bother you. Good night." _Freddie said, and then hung up.

Freddie chuckled on his short walk back to his room. 'Perfect…' he thought, and then yawned. He was tired, but he wanted to check one other thing before he went to bed. He checked his watch: 9:22 PM. He thought Andy should be at Sam's about now. He brought up the mapping query and ran the program. It showed Andy and Sam's phones at the same location: Her apartment less than a mile away. He chuckled again and went to bed.

The next morning he rose early and decided to get his work situated and find an apartment. Work was easy; he had thought that it would be best if he didn't work at a mall this time. One of the offered positions was as assistant manager at a phone store in a strip mall only a few miles away. There would be less chance of a fluke meeting with Sam there, than at a mall. He met with the manager at nine, and left with the job at nine forty five. His new boss had graciously put him on the payroll that day. And then given him until the following Monday to get settled. He liked his new boss right off. It seems this had been a good choice.

Next, he went to the apartment complex that Sam lived in, The Alders. The place was large, and had multiple buildings. He already knew, from the internet search that there were vacancies. Getting an apartment there would be no problem, however getting one with a view of Sam's apartment could be tricky. Lady luck was in his pocket that day though. There was a vacant second floor studio available. The back bedroom window overlooked not only Sam's front door, but the pool and laundry room besides. He took it. He could move in that day.

He packed what little he had unpacked in the hotel room, and unloaded it in his new apartment. It was about one in the afternoon. He went to lunch and found a Salvation Army store. He bought some furniture, dishes and utensils and asked them to deliver it that afternoon if possible. The fifty dollar tip he gave the delivery guys helped to move him up to the top of the list for the afternoon deliveries. Next he stopped at a Target and picked up a few more necessities, including some groceries. The apartment came with a refrigerator and microwave, so he was all set.

Due to the generous tip, the delivery guys carried all the items up to his apartment when they arrived. They weren't used to getting tips. He called the central office of his company's internet provider. Giving them his address, he was connected in minutes. He started settling in, setting up the twin sized bed and the folding tables he had gotten to use as desks. He unpacked and put things away the rest of the afternoon. By early evening, he was finished. The place was Spartan, but that's how he was used to living.

He made himself a sandwich for dinner. He ate while he set up his computers. His company provided him with nearly free internet access, and since he had gotten connected earlier that day, things came up without a hitch. The first thing he ran was the 'where is' query. It showed Sam was in her apartment or close to it anyway. There was about a 20 meter variable with this. Good ole' Andy was now indeed in Salt Lake City.

Freddie deduced his MO easily. Andy would tell his wife that he was going out of town, and spend the night with his girlfriend. Checking further, Freddie confirmed this hunch when he saw that Andy had left Sam's apartment at a little before four in the morning. His locator ended at LAX and got sketchy for a while, then popped up strong in Salt Lake City. It was sketchy while he was in flight.

Freddie wondered if Sam knew this guy was married.

Suddenly, he had another idea… he had seen that three others in Andy's stored numbers had only initials, like Sam's… he wondered. Damn! He was right! Checking the numbers brought back Betty Florence, Andrea Lockwood and Anne Malbry. He quickly checked for text messages. Anne had hers being stored already. He turned storage on for the others. Most of Anne's messages were mundane stuff, to friends. But some spoke of her boyfriend Andy, who lived in Chicago… Man, this guy was worse than him, a real bastard. Checking Sam's text messages for the day showed about the same, except for a brief mention to her friend Cindy about Andy being by last night.

Freddie knew just what he was going to do… It wouldn't be pretty.

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**A mad stalker-ish Freddie?**

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	4. The Dinner Date

All's fair

Chapter 4: The dinner date

The next few weeks were filled with his new job, and going over text messages from five women and Andy. Freddie had decided to store Cassie's messages also. He kept an eye on Sam, both by her cell location and the few times he'd seen her going to and from her apartment to the laundry building or work. She didn't seem to go anywhere else. She ate lunch with her friend Cindy three or four times a week. Andy came by about every other week and spent the night. In one text to Sam, Andy had mentioned that he was home, in Virginia. What a load of crap. The map query showed the guy was in Phoenix, and he had spent the night with girlfriend Betty before going.

Then it happened. What Freddie had been waiting for; Andy sent a text to his wife, Cassie, telling her he had closed some big deal and earned a huge bonus. He had said he wanted to take her out to celebrate. She had sent a text back full of congratulations… and the details about their reservations to 'La Cave' in Costa Mesa. A high end steak and seafood place. Andy sent a text back that it was perfect. Freddie laughed... 'It was going to be perfect' he thought 'very perfect indeed.'

It was Thursday evening; the reservations were for Friday night at seven. He had about a day to put this together. First, he put a filter on the four 'girlfriends' numbers. He forwarded any text messages sent to Andy by them to reach Freddie first. If needed, he could edit and reply himself. Briefly taking control of Andy's phone, he sent text messages to each of the four girlfriends inviting them to dinner at 'La Cave' this Friday night at seven thirty. This would be wicked… he wished he could be a fly on the wall and see the outcome of this… but he knew he couldn't. It would be far too risky. Sam could easily spot him and figure out something was up. He already had planned on 'running into Sam' in the laundry room after this. He needed to stick to that plan.

As he expected, the four responses came flying back from the jerks girlfriends, Sam included. Freddie sent them each responses based on their replies, but still kept their texts to Andy trapped. Only Freddie could retrieve them. This was going to be an interesting dinner for… six. They had all accepted willingly, happily with gushing appreciation and thanks.

Time crawled by… He had worked the last Sunday, so he now had a three day weekend from work. He watched Sam heading off to work Friday morning. He hadn't slept much so for most of the day he napped. He wanted to be awake for this. At about six forty five he was parked about a block away from the restaurant, with a full view of the parking lot. He had some binoculars, so he'd be able to watch the place, but not hear anything. A few minutes before seven a couple parked their car and entered the restaurant. Freddie wondered if that was Andy and Cassie. At seven twenty five, a woman without an escort parked and got out of her car. Before she was halfway across the parking lot, two other women parked and got out of their cars, alone. Finally, he saw Sam's car pull into the lot and park. All four of the 'girlfriends' went in within thirty seconds of each other. One had even held the door for Sam. Freddie laughed out loud… this was going to be awesome.

It didn't take long. Less than seven minutes to be exact. Good 'ole Andy came shooting out the doors first. Quickly followed by five obviously pissed off women. Andy would have to change his name to Alpo. All he was now was dog food… and it's resulting poop. Freddie could tell what was going on. The women were comparing notes, Cassandra included. Andy was trying to explain himself, only to be repeatedly shoved up against a car by Mrs. Andy Freeman… The man was toast.

Freddie had a good laugh, started his car and drove back to his apartment. Over the next few weeks it would be time to begin phase two. He only had to wait for Sam to do her laundry.

Once he arrived at his apartment, he checked his computer. Sam had been making phone calls like crazy. She had made a couple of calls to her friend Clara, but most to her friend Cindy. Clara had answered and they had conversed for about five minutes. Cindy hadn't answered and Sam had now left three voice messages for her. Freddie downloaded the messages and listened: all rants about Andy being a bastard and asking Cindy to call her as soon as she could. About an hour later, Cindy called Sam. Freddie decided to listen in to this, but tired after listening to about twenty minutes of Sam's ranting and Cindy's commiseration. He disconnected the real time tap in the system and went to bed.

Saturday morning came without any further phone activity from Sam. Freddie spent most of the day listening or monitoring messages from the other 'girlfriends'. Interestingly, there was no phone activity at all from Mr. or Mrs. Freeman. Andy was probably licking his wounds… if he still had a tongue. That afternoon, Freddie did notice that Sam was doing some laundry… but it was too soon to get 'reacquainted' with her. The meeting at the laundry room would be iffy enough without having it be so blatant as to be the very next day after the 'Andy' situation. If he could think of another way to meet her again, he'd do it in a heartbeat… but so far, the best he had come up with was the laundry room gambit.

He thought meeting her in two or three weeks would be enough time to pass. She might not be over good old Andy completely, but she should be past the worst of the hurt and humiliation.

Just two doors down from his work was an above average deli he'd begun to frequent. There was also an above average brunette that worked there. She had indeed been chatting him up whenever there was an opportunity, but so far he had managed to avoid any entanglements. He was tempted, but he wanted to see what would happen with Sam before becoming involved with the brunette… or anyone else for that matter. He wondered at his fascination with Sam. Normally, he would have 'jumped' nearly literally at the obvious interest shown by the brunette. Now… his inaction surprised even him.

It had been nearly two weeks after the 'Andy' incident. He had eaten lunch at the deli again, and had chatted with the brunette, Molly. Just as before, he had remained only friendly and non committal in their conversation. It wasn't that he was telling her no… it was more like mild flirting. At least until he figured out what would happen with Sam. That wouldn't happen for at least another week, maybe two. Her messages to her friends had begun to settle down to normal. She had seemed too have gotten past the vindictive expletives directed at Andy after only a week or so. That was good. Freddie thought that maybe Andy didn't have much of a hold on her feelings. Hopefully that was the case, as that would make things much easier, and better. For him anyway…

Getting up from the tiny table at the deli, he threw away his trash, and said goodbye to Molly. He walked out onto the sidewalk and checked his watch; he still had about twenty minutes left on his lunch break. He thought it would be wise to get some gum. There were onions on his sandwich, and that wouldn't do when dealing with customers. There was a 7-11 at the far end of the strip mall his shop was in, so he headed toward there.

He chose some gum, paid the clerk and had just walked out of the shop heading back toward his store…

"**Freddie! Freddie Benson! Is that you?**"

He turned in the direction of the female voice calling him…

She was getting out of her car she had just parked in front of the 7-11. She had a very surprised, but pleased expression. Suddenly his brain kicked in… he needed to act surprised, even though he really was…

He slacked his jaw and stood staring, acting dumbfounded.

"Sam?" He said.

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**BaalRules**

**BoxOfTrinkets**

**boxofpiglets**

**Commander Lagasse**

**Coyote Laughs**

**Deviocity**

**Hartful13**

**ItalianBabexo8**

**iCabal**

**iCarlyangst**

**iLuvNathanKrEsS**

**JamesTheGreater**

**KingxLeon21**

**Myjumpingsocks**

**ober22**

**pairababes**

**Pieequals36**

**pigwiz**

**Tech-Man**

**The Earl of Sandwich**

**xXACCEBXx**

* * *

_Well now, just where am I going with this fic? Hmmm… Well, you're going to find out pretty soon… Another of my famous… well, no… that's enough for now. It's just going to be… GOOD!_

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_I've been asked by a few folks in reviews and PM's about the cell phone stuff, if all of that is possible. Well, yes it is. The location stuff is used by the police often. Any cell phone can be traced to a location as long as it's on. Maybe even when it's off, but I'm not sure about that. As far as trapping the messages and such… it's possible. Anyone that has access to the 'system' that cell phones operate in can do that. Now, some of the stuff I made up. I'm not sure you can get passwords and do what I have the Freddie character doing from off site locations. But, everything you do on a cell phone is on a hard disk 'somewhere', so it would be retrievable. Look it up on the web… it's all there, that's how I found it. :pig~_

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**How about that review there, hun…**


	5. Now What?

All's fair

Chapter 5: Now what?

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Sam was stunned. She had just pulled into the parking lot at the 7-11, and saw a part of her past emerge from the store.

A large part.

'That has to be him.' She thought. Even if this wasn't 'him', he had already triggered a flood of memories, good and bad.

It especially reminded her of the last words she had said to him so long ago:

'_What is wrong with you?'_

The entire scene replayed in her mind as she opened her car door and started to get out of her car. If this really was him, he might remember that also, and tell her to take a flying leap…

'Man… what _was_ wrong with him? Not a damn thing was wrong with him. What was wrong with me?' She thought.

'Dump a guy that she had finally realized she was in love with… all for his friend Jack. Jack… who she thought was 'exciting' and 'spontaneous'… Yeah, it was so 'exciting' to come home and find Jack fucking some random bar slut… She'd lost count of how many times _that_ had happened… It was so 'exciting' to clean up all of his 'spontaneous' puke off the floors and walls… It was so 'exciting' to bail him out of jail, all the phone calls from bill collectors, other women and the late night police visits when they hauled him in for whatever he had done that week… Yeah, so exciting...'

All this had gone through her mind as she got out of the car and stood next to it. The guy hadn't noticed her, but then, why would he? He hadn't looked toward her at all. Her mind was still racing; 'If this wasn't Freddie, it was his double.'

Frankly, she was a bit worried about what his reaction to running into her might be. 'Nothing ventured…' she thought.

"**Freddie! Freddie Benson! Is that you?**" She nearly yelled so she could be heard over the traffic noise.

The guy stopped, turned toward her and stared for a moment, then openly gawked.

"Sam?" He asked standing stock still.

She closed her car door and walked toward him smiling… all the while thinking; 'he hasn't bitten my head off yet!'

Freddie really was surprised, but acted even more so due to the situation. The blonde was walking toward him with a smile that would have powered half a city.

'Maybe she is glad to see me.' He thought.

By this time, she was standing directly in front of him. He decided that it was time to go back into 'normal' mode. He didn't need to act any more surprised than what he already was.

He smiled back at her, and on impulse, without saying a word to her, gathered her up into a huge hug. The good thing was, she hugged back with even more enthusiasm.

"I've missed you…" She kept repeating over and over into his shoulder.

He found he was at a total loss. He had no words. He found himself nodding in response as he continued hugging her. Finally, they separated. He stood back a bit, looked her up and down, and smiled.

"Where did you come from? You haven't changed a bit… I've missed you too." He gushed all at once.

She smiled back and told him that she lived just a few miles from here.

"The last time I heard anything about you was when you were in Phoenix. Are you still there?" She asked.

"No, I just moved here. Well, about three months ago I guess. I work in the cell store at the other end of this strip." He said pointing it out.

She glanced in the direction he had pointed, and then looked back at him, nodding while still displaying the very sincere smile. Suddenly she stepped up to him again and resumed the 'hug'.

She had also checked out his left hand: 'No ring' she thought to herself.

"So are you busy? Want to go get a drink or a cup of coffee?" She asked stepping back again.

"Well, yeah. I have to get back to work in just a couple minutes." He replied.

"Well how about after work then, still busy?" She asked.

Freddie looked at her for a moment before answering. He had to really watch how he answered her. In her mind, he would have no idea about her problems with Jack, and even more so with Andy. He needed to be very careful with his responses. He was taking to long to answer; her smile had started to fade… 'That's good' he thought. 'It will make her think that I'm trying to avoid confrontation.'

"Um… Sam… that might not be a really great idea…" he said, and her smile faded. "I mean… you know, Jack and all. We didn't… well you know. Jack and I had some words. I don't really think he would be all that happy to see me. No sense stirring things up…" He answered.

Her smile returned.

"Jack is not an issue. There is no Jack; we divorced nearly four years ago." She said.

"Oh…" He said feigning surprise.

"So?" She asked, then continued with a slight grimace; "of course, if you have someone you should bring them along."

"No, I'm single Sam… You?" He asked.

"I'm _very_ single." She replied grinning.

"Well… where then? You pick. I haven't been out at all since I got here." He said honestly. He really hadn't had time _to_ go out since he'd been so busy tracking her and everyone else's phone communications.

"What time do you get off work? Where do you live?" Sam asked.

"I get off at seven, and I live in Tustin." He replied. He was also just a bit nervous. She seemed to be really glad to see him, but he didn't want the fact that he lived about three hundred feet from her front door to get out… yet.

"Really? I live in Tustin too! How cool! Are you familiar with First Street? There is a little neighborhood bar there, The Tustin Inn; it's nice… we can catch up." She replied.

"Great! Look, I have to get back, but how about eight tonight. I'll meet you there. Here's my card and this is my cell…" He said writing his number on the back of the card.

She took a notepad and pen out of her purse and wrote her number on it, and stuffed it in his shirt pocket.

"Don't lose that mister… eight it is. I'll see you there." Sam said smiling.

Freddie looked at her for a moment, she smiled. He pulled her into a final hug that she returned.

"Great! I'll see you at eight…" He said.

Sam continued on into the 7-11, stopping at the door to flash him another smile and small wave. Freddie turned and began the short walk back to his store. He was stunned. The meeting couldn't have gone better if he had planned it. He felt like doing cartwheels down the sidewalk. He'd never seen her wearing a dress when she was going to or coming from work. Heck, even when they were kids he'd hardly ever seen her in a dress. Today she was wearing a dress. He had no idea why she wouldn't be in her normal jeans and sweater, but he liked it, a lot. He pulled the piece of paper out of his shirt pocket and chuckled; like he needed her number…

After entering the shop, he went directly over to one of the kiosks and logged in to his account which gave him internet access. Then he logged into the competitions system with his purchased passwords. After waiting for the system to be available, he logged into her account and turned on call recording. Everything she did on her phone now would be saved in its system. He could retrieve it anytime. He was curious to see if he had made any kind of impression on her, and who she might call if he did.

When Sam left the 7-11 she looked down the sidewalk to see if Freddie was still outside, he wasn't. Getting back in her car, she drove somewhat slowly by his shop, and saw him through the front windows. He was standing in front of a computer terminal, with his back to her. She could tell he was entering commands in the same, geek-ish style that she remembered… and adored. She parked at the side of the strip mall and took out her cell phone. Carly was impossible to contact most of the time, but she sent her a text anyway. Maybe she'd be able to call.

Pulling back out onto the surface street, she made her way back to her apartment. She unlocked her door, walked in and immediately kicked off the horrible pumps and then stripped off the damned dress. She was standing in her bedroom when the phone rang…

"Carly! How are you? Where are you? You'll never guess who I just ran into!" Sam said.

"_Hi Sam. I'm fine… I just got into my hotel. I'm in The Hague and it's after midnight. Why are you home? It's only three twenty in the afternoon in LA. So, who is it you ran into?"_ An obviously tired Carly replied.

"The Hague? Where the hell is that? Are you a spy now?" Sam asked laughing.

Carly chuckled; _"No Sam, I'm still a Diplomatic Courier, and I'm going to stay one… This travel is nuts though. The Hague is in the Netherlands. Tomorrow morning I fly to London and then back to Miami tomorrow afternoon… Then I'm going to sleep for about a week. So who was it Sam?"_

"Freddie! I ran into Freddie and he works just about fifteen minutes from my apartment! He hugged me and everything. We're going out for a drink tonight after he gets off work." Sam said.

"_How neat! Tell him hi for me… I haven't seen him, or talked to him since we had lunch in Phoenix. See… I told you he wouldn't be mad at you any more."_ Carly said.

"Yeah, I guess you were right. Can you hold on for a moment? I'm freezing. I just got out of a damned dress and I'm standing here in my underwear…" Sam asked.

"_A dress? HA! Why in the world were you wearing a dress?"_ Carly asked.

"Oh, I had an interview at work. I'm changing jobs from Adjuster to Claims Specialist and I had to talk to the new boss today… So I dressed up. I think I scared the hell out of most of my friends at work… they had never seen me in a dress!" Sam replied.

"_Look Sam, I have to catch a flight in the morning. I'm only going to get about five hours sleep as it is. Go on your date and let me know how that goes. I'll call you day after tomorrow and we can chat."_ Carly said.

"Date… I like the sound of that… I'm going on a date with Mr. Freddie Benson… again. Okay Carls, I'll give you the whole story when we talk… Night…" Sam said.

"_Night Sam…"_ Carly hung up.

Sam got up from sitting on her bed and stepped into her bathroom. Slipping on her robe, she checked her hair in the mirror, and then looked at her watch… 'I have four and a half hours… I'm not going to wear a dress, but I am going to primp just a little… no reason not to look hot for Mr. Benson, now is there…' She thought as she turned on her shower.

Freddie's afternoon was nothing but unbridled turmoil. He would have sworn that time was standing still. On one hand, he was elated… He going to meet with Sam… His entire reason for coming out here… On the other hand he was a bundle of nerves. His boss noticed his 'ailment' and asked him the problem. Freddie decided to tell him the truth…

"I'm meeting with an old friend from home." Freddie told his boss. He then explained to his boss the history, leaving out the pertinent points of the break up and his stalking.

Freddie's boss had a quiet chuckle and told Freddie to take the rest of the day off, and the next day as well if he thought he needed it. Things were slow, and they would be fine.

Freddie agreed, he wasn't accomplishing anything anyway. He might as well take his boss up on the offer. A short time later, back in his apartment, Freddie downloaded the phone conversation Sam had had with Carly. After listening to it, it was obvious that Sam was looking forward to their get together as much as he was… She had even called it a date.

He still had to watch his step though. He could not mention Andy or the details he knew about Jack.

At about seven twenty he started looking out his bedroom window, waiting for her to leave. He didn't want to run into her in the parking lot. He had managed not to do that so far by always using a side driveway into the complex. And, he wanted to arrive just a couple minutes after her. That way she could make all the decisions. He had found that allowing a woman to make the decisions about where they would go, seating at a booth, table or the bar, etcetera, made them much more comfortable. With all the other women he had used this ploy just to make it easier to get what he wanted out of them. With Sam… he wanted her very comfortable, at ease.

He was also at a bit of a conundrum. He had wanted this for so long… now she was within his grasp. A continued relationship with Sam was not only possible, it was highly probable. Judging by her reaction from when he met her today, and from what she had said to Carly on the phone, he was sure of that. He felt like a kid that had wanted a toy for so long, and then got it… He was kind of let down. The chase, at least in his point of view was coming to an end… nearly over.

Now what would he do with her?

He wasn't really sure any longer if he really loved her, or if he wanted revenge, or if it was just the thought of having her that had so consumed him… He just wasn't sure.

He noticed her front door opening. She stepped out onto the walkway wearing some nice jeans and an oversized sweater. 'Good, he didn't have to change.' He thought. He was dressed in upscale casual as well.

He gave her a couple minutes to get to her car before he left his apartment. He checked the map he'd printed out; it wasn't very far at all. In about ten minutes he was there. He parked next to her car, got out and walked toward the entrance. He stopped at the door for a moment and collected his thoughts before opening it…

'Do not mention Andy' was foremost on his mind.

He glanced at the 'No one under 21' notice on the door, opened it, and walked in.

* * *

_Huge massive thanks to __**KingxLeon21**!_

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(No minions were sacrificed for the production of this chapter)

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**aussiemma, axel100, BaalRules, BoxOfTrinkets, boxofpiglets, Coyote Laughs, Deviocity, Hartful13, ItalianBabexo8, iCabal, iCarlyangst, iLuvNathanKrEsS, JamesTheGreater, KingxLeon21, Myjumpingsocks, ober22, pairababes, Pieequals36, pigwiz, Tech-Man, The Earl of Sandwich, ****xXACCEBXx.**

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	6. You're what's wrong with me… a history l

All's fair

Chapter 6: You're what's wrong with me… a history lesson

She had chosen a tiny round table in a far corner, away from the door. She arranged the chairs with what would be hers against the wall. This way she would be able to see the door. She moved the other chair next to hers, instead of leaving it in its spot across the table. She had started craving a sort of closeness while she was getting ready.

'Gads… I'm acting like a schoolgirl' she said to herself.

Sitting in 'her' seat, she checked her cell. The time changed from 7:59 to 8:00 while she was looking. She wondered if he would be on time.

A waitress came by and asked if she would like to order something. Sam thought for a moment. She could take or leave alcohol… she had nothing against it, and indeed did have a drink on occasion. However, she wasn't sure what Freddie would want. She told the waitress that she was waiting for someone and to please return when they arrived.

The barmaid smiled, nodded and left.

Sam glanced back up at the door, then back at her phone.

The time changed from 8:00 to 8:01.

She was nervous, giddy. She had thought about looking him up even while she was still with Jack… but she had been so sure that Freddie hated her, she never had. After Jack was quite a dry spell. She'd been asked out a lot, but rarely consented. She had found that going out just reminded her of what she had done to Freddie. Then Andy came along. He seemed to be so much like her idea of 'the perfect man' that she thought she could make it work. Frankly, she had begun to tire of him since he spent so little time with her. What a dope she was, she should have seen that coming. She glanced back down at her phone on the table.

The time changed from 8:01 to 8:02.

She saw the outline of a man walking past the curtained windows at the front of the bar. Her stomach was doing back flips. In a moment the door opened and he walked in. A few steps inside the door, he stopped for a moment and let his eyes roam the bar. She stood. Shortly his eyes locked with hers, and he smiled.

She came around the table slightly; she wanted to give him a hug. What she really wanted was for Freddie to pick up the relationship where they had left it. Well, not where they had left it. She wanted it to be the day before that.

The day before she had destroyed their fledgling romance.

He was in front of her now. He pulled her into a hug. 'He did it! YES!' She thought. 'He's hugging me, he's hugging me… feels so good in his arms… he's stepped back a bit and moved his hands to my hips… HE'S GOING TO KISS ME! HE IS LOOKING ME RIGHT IN THE EYES AND IS GOING TO KISS ME!'

He gave her a peck on the forehead and sat down.

Sam masked her disappointment while she was sitting.

Freddie knew exactly what he was doing. He found he was still a bit upset at the way she had dumped him all that time ago.

'What's wrong with me? Not a damn thing. And now she's figured that out.' He thought.

She wanted him to kiss her… he could tell. So he didn't. He kept thinking how much he wanted to kiss her, but he wouldn't do it. Not yet anyway. He knew just how to make her life hell, and considered his options on how to do it. He also realized he could easily screw this up. He didn't want to do that at all. He wanted her in the worst way, he always had. But this was an opportunity to repay some of her contemptuous behavior. He didn't want to push her away, but he did want her to feel some of the pain he'd felt for all those years. She was the sole reason for that pain, and he wanted to share…

He sat down and noticed her right hand was on the table, playing with a napkin edge. He took her hand in his and gave it a little squeeze.

Sam looked at their hands and smiled. Looking up at Freddie she said: "You just don't know how much I've missed you. I was…"

Freddie cut her off with a glance, and said: "Mrs. Henning…"

Sam gently squeezed his hand with hers.

"Please Freddie, don't call me that. Call me Sam." She said.

"Do you ever write checks?" Freddie asked.

"Well, yeah…" Sam replied nodding, but confused.

"How do you sign them?" Freddie continued.

"What… what difference does that make?" Sam retorted.

"Did you resume using your maiden name after you were divorced? Have you been married again since divorcing Jack?" Freddie asked.

"No, I didn't and I haven't… I sign my name as Samantha Henning, alright?" Sam answered peevishly.

"Okay, then that's your name. Mrs. Henning, I have to tell you something… something important." Freddie said.

"You've got a girlfriend." Sam blurted out.

"No, I told you already… I do not have a girlfriend, wife… or any friends out here for that matter." Freddie calmly replied.

"Are you okay? Is there something wrong with you?" Sam asked.

"Physically I'm great… healthy as an ox in fact…" Freddie started.

"Good, you made me nervous for a second there." Sam replied smiling.

Freddie withdrew his hand.

"No, I'm good, body functioning like a well oiled machine… I've no mental problems… I don't 'hear voices', but I do have a problem." Freddie replied looking directly at her.

Sam was staring at him, saying nothing.

Freddie began again:

"The last time we spoke, up until today, you asked me what was wrong with me… well, it's you, and you alone. You're what's wrong with me."

"Since I graduated from college I've mostly worked in cell phone stores; mostly in positions much below my skills and abilities. I was a technician at first, and then went into sales. I'm good at sales… but I only do this to keep a roof over my head. My real job, up to when I moved here, has been a pursuit of women. Married, single, in a relationship… I didn't care. Over time I learned to say and do all the right things to get whatever I wanted. I can't count how many relationships I've been in. I really don't remember or care. I destroyed each and every one of them on purpose. Sometimes it was my victim that 'called it off'… broke up with me. But mostly it was me. Love 'em and leave 'em, except I didn't ever give a damn about any of them. And truly didn't care how they felt about it. I've lived in eight cities in five states up to when I moved here. I had to move around a lot because of the boyfriends and husbands. Eventually the guys would figure out what was going on, and I'd have to get out of town, literally. It started while I was still in college. I've been doing this for the last six years."

"You completely devastated me with five words. I don't know how many times I told you I had fallen in love with you. Every time I told you that, you would smile. That's it, just smile. Then finally, you returned the favor. From out of nowhere, while we were driving to some party, you told me you loved me. In fact over the course of that evening you told me eight times. The next day you did it again, except that day you said it ten times if I remember correctly. The next morning, you came to my apartment and told me that Jack had asked you out and you would be going out with him… I was out of the picture, it was over… Then, you had the gall to ask me 'what was wrong with me?' I couldn't believe how callus and insensitive you were. You not only destroyed 'us', you destroyed me. I didn't know it yet at the time, but you had. So that's it; that is exactly what's wrong with me. In plain simple language, I'm an emotional shipwreck. You dashed me on those rocks all that time ago."

Freddie stopped talking when the waitress started toward their table, he waved her off. Sam didn't notice she was even there, she was stunned. Her expression was horrific, her mouth set in a permanent grimace. She was gripping the edge of the table so fiercely, her knuckles were white.

"So there you go. I can't add anything else to my little speech. It wasn't rehearsed, but it needed saying. So Mrs. Henning, what are you going to do about it?"

Sam continued to stare at him, her mouth twitched slightly, as if she was trying to start speaking, but she remained mute.

Freddie reached into his pants pocket and removed his cell phone and the small piece of paper Sam had written her phone number on earlier that day. He dialed her number, her cell started to ring. He reached across the table picked up her phone and pushed the answer button, then hung up both phones.

"There, now my number is in your cell phone. If you think you can fix what you broke, give me a call." He said.

Freddie stood up from the table, and turned to leave. Then he turned back and sat back down.

"You know, it feels really good to get all that shit off my chest. I'd never told anyone about all that crap before. In the middle of my spiel I had decided to get up and walk away, but screw it. Who needs all the drama… after all that I need a drink, you?" Freddie said.

Sam was stunned. She stared at him for nearly a minute, looking acutely bewildered, and then picked up her cell phone.

"I… I think I should go." She mumbled.

"Oh no… No you don't. You may not have planned on opening this can of worms, but you sure as hell had something to do with creating it. No… please stay. Have a drink with me." Freddie said while waving over the barmaid.

Sam said nothing, but she didn't get up. Freddie ordered a shot of Kessler's and a Modelo Especial. Sam was still silent, so Freddie ordered her a Bloody Eight. The waitress left.

Sam finally got over her funk and said:

"But, you hate me… why would I…"

"I didn't say I hated you." Freddie interrupted.

"Oh…" Sam whispered.

"Frankly, I don't know how I feel about you any longer. I thought about revenge for a bit this afternoon, but the old two wrongs thing… I couldn't do that. Look… You'll like the drink I ordered, it's spicy. You still like spicy stuff don't you?" Freddie said.

Sam nodded.

"Okay then" he continued "stay, have a drink. We can see if you're sitting across from an old friend for an evening, a future friend, or maybe something more… I don't know Sam… but I'd like to figure it out, or at least get some closure if nothing else."

Sam nodded again.

"So, I spilled my sordid tale, what about you? What happened with my old buddy Jack?" Freddie asked.

Sam looked up at Freddie, surprised; "It was… it was bad. I'd just as soon not…"

"Hey, it's truth or consequences time. It's your turn." Freddie interrupted again.

Sam shrugged; "why the hell not…" she said nearly to herself. Looking up at Freddie she asked; "Okay, where should I start?"

"The beginning, start at the beginning. That's always best, Sam." Freddie said.

"Okay, well first, I heard you had some problems after we broke up. I really didn't think it was going to bother you that much, and…"

"Bullshit." Freddie interrupted "You didn't care how I would feel about it. You just did it. I'm not going to sit here and listen to you change history so you can feel better about it. Now, I'm sorry I interrupted but never forget, I was there too… 'We' didn't brake up. You broke up with me. Don't try to snow me, it won't work."

The drinks arrived, Freddie paid.

Sam shook her head. "Okay, you're right. I didn't care how you felt. And looking back all I can do is apologize, okay? I mean, it happened… Jack was everything that you weren't. And just for clarity, I do, did love you. But Jack was different. You made me feel special, he made me feel alive."

She took a sip of her drink; "This is good, thanks." She said.

Freddie nodded.

"You know, not to get off subject, but why I almost left a moment ago was that you reminded me of my last relationship. He did the same thing; I was one of his victims. The guy was married and had four girlfriends on the side. With me being one of the girlfriends." Sam said.

"Did he ever tell you he loved you?" Freddie asked.

"Oh, yeah he did, why?" Sam asked.

"Did you know about the others, his wife and the other girlfriends?" Freddie asked.

"No." Sam replied.

"Then he was nothing like me, not at all. I never told any of the women I was with that I loved them. And, I never made any sort of commitment to anyone. If even one of them would have ever asked I would have told them about who ever I was with besides them. None of them ever did that. What was this guy's name?" Freddie asked.

Sam gave him another funny look; "Andy, his name is Andy."

"This Andy sounds more like you than me, quite frankly." Freddie said.

"What the… how the hell can you say that?" Sam asked angrily.

"Because it's true. Let's not be coy here. I told you that Jack and I had words after you dumped me. Well, I didn't go looking for him, but I did run into him at a party a couple weeks later. I was pretty drunk at the time, we nearly got into a fight, but since he was there with another girl, I figured you were getting some payback. He told me that you two were together while we were. And that whatever time you didn't spend with me, you spent with him. That's why Andy is more like you than me. I didn't ever attempt to hide what I was doing. You hid Jack from me for some time. Like I said, don't try to rewrite history." Freddie said.

"Fine..." Sam spat, starting to get up.

"Yeah, go ahead. Run away. I sort of figured that you probably hadn't grown out of the 'who me' thing." Freddie nonchalantly said.

She sat back down and glared at him.

"Look Sam, enjoy your drink. Just don't try to lead me down one of your primrose paths." He said.

She sighed.

"Okay, I was messing around with Jack while we were together. It made me feel like shit to do that to you, but…"

"…but you did it anyway." Freddie finished.

Sam nodded.

"So what happened with Jack?" He asked.

"What didn't happen with Jack…? Let's see, he cheated, blatantly. It was like he didn't care if I knew about his others or not. He was drunk all the time, which led to a ton of problems for me as well, since I was married to him. The police were always coming by and arresting him, or picking him up for DUI's. He stole anything and everything from anyone. Friends, family, you name it. It was bad… Finally, he had some gambling debts that he had to pay. He embezzled a bunch of money from where he worked and that was that. He's in Jail. I had already become legally separated or I'd be on the hook for a ton of money from that. So, while all that was going on I divorced him." Sam shook her head.

"Wow… that is bad, Sam. What about the other guy, this Andy?" Freddie asked.

"Well, I was about ready to stop seeing him anyway. I met him at the office. He sells computer systems and we ran into each other in the hallway… I can't believe I was that stupid… to get involved with a guy like that…"

Sam went on to explain pretty much what Freddie already knew about Andy. A few new details popped up, but nothing substantial. He had guessed correctly about how Andy was able to keep the five women from discovering what he was doing, until the dinner.

"…and then for some unknown reason, he screwed up and invited all five of us out to dinner at the same time. That still doesn't make any sense to me, but he did it. I'm just glad it happened." Sam finished.

"How crazy, he invited you all out to dinner… he must've been insane." Freddie said.

"I think his cell phone screwed up. He isn't that stupid." Sam said.

Freddie nodded.

"Well, that's it. That's all the dirt from both of us I guess. So now what?" Sam asked.

Freddie looked at her for a moment, seeming to be lost in thought.

"Well, we're both single. We've both fucked up in totally massive ways… Let's try this." Sam said while standing and reaching across the table with her right arm.

"Hi, my name is Sam, and I think you are drop dead cute…"

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**aussiemma, axel100, BaalRules, BoxOfTrinkets, boxofpiglets, Coyote Laughs, Deviocity, Hartful13, ItalianBabexo8, iCabal, iCarlyangst, iLuvNathanKrEsS, JamesTheGreater, KingxLeon21, Myjumpingsocks, ober22, pairababes, Pieequals36, pigwiz, Tech-Man, The Earl of Sandwich, ****xXACCEBXx.**

**From fluff, to face melting angst.**

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	7. Sugar Seduction

All's fair

Chapter 7: Sugar Seduction

* * *

Freddie chuckled and looked up at Sam.

'Well, here's my chance to ruin this woman. Treat her the way she treated me, or…' He thought.

He stood up and stretched out his arm. Taking her hand, he shook it and said; "My name is Freddie, and I've wanted to do this for a long time."

H gently pushed her up against the wall, took her chin in his hand and kissed her.

After he shook her hand he had moved in closer, Sam had thought this might happen. But not in the bar, not up against the wall in the bar. This was no sweet 'glad to meet you' peck; this was a throw you on the table, rip off your clothes and take you now tongue fucking… It excited her in so many ways. After her initial shock she returned the kiss with as much fervor and desire as he was giving. All too soon, they had to stop for a breath.

"…damn Benson…" She whispered wide eyed.

"I've wanted to do that… you just don't know. I'll make you a deal. No mind games, no walking out if you get mad at me, and no others… just us, you and I, and I'll promise the same. We can make this happen if you want it too… So?" Freddie growled softly in her ear.

Sam nodded, never breaking eye contact.

"Then say it." He said.

"Yes, that's what I want… you're what I want." She said.

He nodded.

"I think we've given them enough of a show here. Would you like to go?" He asked.

"Yeah…" She whispered "Yeah, let's go."

All that was on the table was her cell phone. She picked it up and shakily walked beside him out of the bar while every pair of eyes in the bar watched them leave. Walking outside and around the corner to their cars, she pressed the button on her key ring… her car beeped.

"Um… where do you" is as far as she got before his lips had accosted hers. She dropped her keys and held him so close. He was far too good at this. A deep animal like growl seemed to grow in intensity around them. He was making this sound… it made her whimper, it made her want him so badly she could taste it. She broke the kiss and gulped in some air before he was back with even more ferocity. He grabbed her ass with both hands and literally lifted her up resting her butt on the side of her car. He ground his crotch in hers… delicious… She couldn't continue like this. She knew she was so close… never, never had she felt like this. He began kissing down her neck. Her breath caught, she threw her head back and moaned… She felt like a wild animal. She wanted him… now. Gods knew she was ready for this on so many levels… but was he?

He had already mentioned that he had mulled over revenge. Then there was his confession of how he had treated the women in is life.

'Will I be any different? Is it me he wants or the thought of me…' she asked herself.

"Hey, you zoned out on me… am I that awful at kissing?" He asked.

She shook her head, no.

He gently eased her back down, and turned her to the side, so they were both leaning against her car.

"This is moving along way to fast, isn't it…" He whispered.

She didn't respond.

"Well, I think it might be, and it's my fault. Apologies… I got a little crazy there for a bit. Do you forgive me?" He asked.

"…nothing to forgive. Are you really this perfect?" She asked.

He grinned; "I've never been known to walk on water, or was your question rhetorical?"

"Look…" She started.

"No, wait." He interrupted. "I have a tiny apartment on the second floor. The only chairs are around the kitchen table… but I'd like to talk… that's it, just talk… and maybe have some coffee. Will you join me?"

"I'd love too." She said smiling.

"Great, you have my number if we get separated. I don't live far from here, about ten minutes or so… and I think I'm going to make a stop on the way home." He said.

They got in their cars and drove down the street a few blocks, turning onto Grand Avenue in Santa Ana. A few moments later he pulled into a Marie Calendar's restaurant. They weren't able to park very close, but Freddie gave up the first parking spot for Sam. By the time Freddie was getting out of his car, Sam was standing on the sidewalk waiting for him.

"You're getting a pie, huh…" She said smiling.

"Goes great with coffee… and I'm a real coffee freak now. I spent over four hundred dollars on my coffee machine. I still can't believe I did that…" He said taking her hand.

She looked at their hands, then back up to his face, and smiled… "Four hundred bucks! Damn Benson, does it fold the laundry too?"

He chuckled as they walked hand in hand toward the doors. Inside, they went up to the counter and he asked what pies were available. It being late, he knew most wouldn't be.

"We only have three left" the waitress said. "Apple, lemon meringue and cherry."

"Well take all three" Freddie said.

Sam barely suppressed a laugh. Freddie grinned back as he handed the waitress the money and took the boxes.

"All three? Going to try to seduce me with sugar?" Sam laughed as they walked back to her car.

"HA! Well, maybe… but I think I see a number of 'chats' over coffee and pie over the next few days. I might as well be prepared." He said.

Sam unlocked her car with the remote and Freddie opened her door; "Okay, I'm just south of the '5' and west of the '55'. If we get separated, call and I'll wait for you." He said holding her door open.

"Wow, I live in the same area. Okay, I'll follow…" She said getting in.

Freddie nodded, leaned into her car and kissed her, then asked; "…so can I really seduce you with sugar?" and then closed the door.

Sam smiled.

Walking back over to his car, he got in and pulled out of the parking area. Checking his rear view mirror, he saw Sam was right behind him. He had to do this right. He thought he would go in the apartment complex street entrance that Sam normally used, instead of the one he used. He continued to check his rear view until he pulled into the complex driveway. The route he was taking now would take her directly to her assigned parking spot. His parking spot was around the corner in front of the next building over. While navigating the narrow avenues inside the complex, he tried to see her expression in his rear view, but it was too dark. As they passed her assigned parking spot, she pulled in…

'Perfect' he thought to himself.

He stopped directly behind her parked car and got out. He jogged over to her as she was getting out of her car.

"That spot is assigned to another apartment. My parking spot is around the corner, and there are a couple of visitor parking spots right next to mine." He said.

Sam got out of her car with an odd expression; "This is crazy… where's your apartment?" She asked.

Freddie looked at her for a moment as if confused by her question, then pointed up to the second story window of the next building over; "Right there, that's my bedroom window, the back wall of my place." He said.

She stood looking at his window for just a moment, turned to him and smiled; "I honestly can't believe this. See the first door there, on the lower floor?" She asked while pointing it out.

Freddie nodded; "yeah…"

She pulled him into a hug; "That's my apartment!"

"You're kidding me…" Freddie said staring at her. "Do you mean that I've been living about a hundred feet from your front door for three months? This is crazy." He continued.

"This is like… meant to be, meant to happen… unexplainable." Sam said.

"Well, it's pretty weird… I mean really, what are the odds…" Freddie said shaking his head.

Sam stepped back.

"Look, go get comfy… change into some sweats. I'll put some coffee on and leave the door unlocked for you." Freddie said.

Sam smiled and nodded, then turned and walked to her apartment. Freddie returned to his car, drove around the corner and parked.

'Damn…' he thought while jogging up the stairs '…I think she bought it. She thinks this is all coincidence.'

Unlocking his door and entering his apartment, he flipped on the lights and stepped into the kitchen area. Since this was a 'Studio' apartment, it was kind of one big room. The 'front' room and kitchen were separated by a wall with a large archway entry into either room. On the same wall was the only interior door, the tiny bathroom and shower. The bedroom was separated from the rest of the living space by a large closet unit that nearly reached the ceiling.

In the kitchen, he ground some coffee beans and set out two paper plates and plastic forks. He chuckled to himself. All he used were paper and plastic dinnerware. No dishwashing that way… Sam would maybe freak out a bit, but…

Drawing a pot full of distilled water, he poured it into the coffee maker and turned it on. Checking to make sure he had left the door unlocked, he raced back into the bedroom portion of his apartment and stripped off his clothes. Changing into some sweats he was just tying his shoes when he heard the knocking at the door and then it opened.

"Freddie?" Sam called.

He stepped around from behind the closet unit / room divider and smiled.

"Hey, you know you look awesome in sweats." He said.

She blushed, and smiled.

"So have a seat. What kind of pie would you like? The coffee will be ready in about five minutes." He said.

"Any of those sound luscious, but I think the cherry would be my pick for tonight." She said while sitting at the table.

Freddie cut two pieces of the pie and placed them on the paper plates.

"Want yours nuked?" He asked.

"Please." She replied.

He put both slices in the microwave and started it.

"Ala mode? I have some vanilla…" Freddie asked.

"You really _are_ trying to seduce me with sugar." Sam said laughing.

"Well, will it work?" Freddie asked grinning.

"Hmm… pretty sure it will…" Sam replied.

The microwave dinged and shut off. Freddie took the pie plates and put one in front of Sam and the other across the table. Taking the few steps over to the freezer he got the ice cream and then a scoop from a drawer. Sitting down, he opened the ice cream and scooped out a generous portion and put it on top of Sam's steaming pie…

"Another, please." Sam said smiling.

Freddie smirked and scooped out another helping. Doing the same with his, he handed her a plastic fork.

"Wow Benson, you go all out for a girl…" Sam said holding out the fork for inspection.

Freddie chuckled; "Yeah, I knew red plastic cutlery and paper plates would turn you on."

The coffee pot beeped. Freddie got up and opened a cupboard.

"You know, I shouldn't show you this, but eh... why not." He said pulling out two old heavy coffee cups.

"My god, Freddie… You kept those? Oh, I'm impressed." Sam gushed.

"Yeah… I kept these. I… I really wanted to throw them out, on more than one occasion, but I kept them. You must think I'm some kind of freak or something…" He said obviously embarrassed.

"No… no… I really am impressed. I think it's sweet that you kept our cups, really… Freddie… look… You have no idea how many times I wish I could take all that back. I was an idiot for leaving you. I was a fool… All I can chalk it up to is stupidity at that point in my life. I know I hurt you, terribly. I'm sorry, truly. If it's any consolation I realized the mistake I made within weeks of making it. I even talked to Carly and tried to talk to your mom… Your mom wouldn't even look at me. Carly said I should give you some time before trying to talk to you. Like a fool, I stayed with Jack. If I could, I would take it all back, but I can't. All I can do is tell you how sorry I am. I can't give you back that time, but I can't give me back that time either. I wish I could, but… I mean look, we did something right, we're here, and… well, we're here…" Sam ended quietly staring at the coffee cup he had sat in front of her.

"So… was that an apology?" Freddie asked.

She nodded her head, without looking up.

"Then, apology accepted. Please accept mine also. Now, eat your ice cream and pie, and drink your coffee. If you don't, if you get all morose on me, I'll never find out if this 'sugar seduction' thing really works." Freddie said with a smirk.

"What have you got to apologize for?" She asked looking up at him.

"I told you I was considering revenge. So, for that I guess. It's time to put all the crap behind us Sam. I want you back in my life, so… there will be no mind games from me. Okay?" He said.

"Yeah…" Sam replied smiling.

Freddie nodded and took a bite.

"So…" Sam started.

Freddie looked up at her.

"Finish your pie; we should go back to my place." Sam said.

Freddie gave her a quizzical look.

"There's just no way either of us will get any sleep in that tiny little twin bed of yours. Mine's bigger." Sam said grinning.

* * *

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**~The CABAL~**

**aussiemma, axel100, BaalRules, BoxOfTrinkets, boxofpiglets, Coyote Laughs, Deviocity, Hartful13, hidden-in-the-pictures, ItalianBabexo8, iCabal, iCarlyangst, iLuvNathanKrEsS, JamesTheGreater, KingxLeon21, Myjumpingsocks, ober22, pairababes, Pieequals36, pigwiz, Tech-Man, The Earl of Sandwich, Waffles Of Doom,**** xXACCEBXx**

**From fluff, to face melting angst.**

**The Cabal authors produce some of the best.

* * *

**

New Cabal member's hidden-in-the pictures and Waffles Of Doom have some amazing stories going on! You should read 'em! Also KingxLeon21 has continued his epic fic 'War Games'. IT should be required reading.

* * *

One of the authors I'm reading now:

Virgoleo23

* * *

_**Sugar is sweet and sugar is fine**_

_**I like sugar, any ole time**_

_**Sugar in my coffee**_

_**Sugar in my tea**_

_**Please leave a review**_

_**For little sweet me! **_


	8. Sultry stares and… toothpaste?

All's fair

Chapter 8: Sultry stares and… toothpaste?

Freddie chuckled.

"You know… it's been a long time for us. And… well, I was thinking… I was thinking that after so much time a day or two one way or another is… well it's nothing." He said.

"What…" Sam questioned.

"Do you work tomorrow?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, at seven. Why?" Sam replied.

"Okay, any way you can take off Friday and have a long weekend?" Freddie asked.

"Sure, I have tons of time built up. All I do is work. So, what do you have in mind?" She asked grinning.

"Well, you know me. Mr. Sentimental… I want our first time back together to be something special. My boss gave me tomorrow off if I want, but I'll change it. I'll work tomorrow and take Friday instead. We'll have three days all to ourselves. I don't know much about Southern California, you can show me around. Or, we can just stay in bed for three days and work off this sugar thing you have." He said grinning.

Sam laughed; "You must be insane! You nearly do me in the bar and up against my car and you want to wait?"

Freddie smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I know… crazy, but look, you have to get up early. We wouldn't have time to do anything but a quick fuck. I really really want to make our, ahh… re-acquaintance something special. Yeah, I know; old girlie Benson. But really… is that okay?"

Sam stared at him for a moment; "Are you for real? I mean really…"

"Well…" He started with a grimace.

"No… no, I meant that in a good way. I think that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me since… well since you, when we were kids. Yeah, I'd like, well maybe not like, but I'm willing to wait until tomorrow to be with you." Sam said.

"Really?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah… really…" Sam nearly whispered.

Freddie nodded, took her hand and gave it a tiny squeeze.

"Um… that doesn't mean we can't hold each other though does it?" She asked.

Freddie looked up at her.

"I mean, sleep with me then, just sleep. You can make me some of this awesome coffee in the morning. All I ever make is instant." Sam said.

"Instant? Gag… not around me. Sure, I'd love to. I can't think of anything more satisfying than to hold you all night… well, until tomorrow night that is." Freddie chuckled.

"Satisfying… I'm not sure about that." She laughed.

He laughed also.

They finished their pie, and chatted about nothing and everything. Soon, they both knew it was time to get some sleep. Freddie grabbed a few things, and his coffee pot and coffee. Sam grabbed the apple pie, saying it would be great for breakfast. Freddie laughed.

They locked up his apartment and walked the short distance to hers.

Sam's apartment was nearly as spartan as Freddie's. The floor layout was similar, but she had a bedroom and extra bath.

She stood in the middle of the front room and pointed out where stuff was, then said;

"C'mon, let's go…" as she grabbed his hand and started walking to her bedroom with him in tow.

Sam stood on no ceremony or propriety. In the bedroom she dropped his hand and immediately stripped off her sweatshirt and bra. Freddie was mildly shocked, but maintained enough composure so that he didn't move a muscle. He didn't look away either.

"What? What's the matter? Like what you see?" Sam asked sultrily.

Freddie nodded.

Sam walked over to him and put her hands under his sweatshirt, gently pressing him up against the wall.

"I mean, it's not like you haven't seen it all before. Besides, you're the one that doesn't like quickies…" She said while kissing along his jaw line.

In response Freddie pulled off his sweatshirt and dropped it. He bent slightly and began to kiss her while gently nibbling on her lower lip. In moments she felt a hand cupping her right breast and a thumb gently massaging the nipple. She moaned. His lips moved to her neckline, suddenly his other hand slid deftly down her sweats and into her panties.

Her breath hitched, she growled and buried her head in his chest. Her hands gripped his upper arms. He nudged her back the short distance to the bed, then down on it; never breaking the rhythm of his caressing. She noticed her sweatpants and panties were pooled at her ankles… and that he had knelt at the side of the bed. Soon he had begun to work her in earnest.

The litany of his thumb was never ending; his tongue was working some form of magic she had never encountered… She was gripping her comforter with so much force she could feel her nails bending.

The first climax was insane. She stiffened up, then lost all control when it hit. Screaming his name…

He stopped for just a moment, for her it was an eternity. Then he resumed… Soon, the second hit. She lost all coherence after that.

She was still gasping for air as he lay down beside her. Taking her in his arms, he gently kissed the nape of her neck and hair, bringing her back from the brink.

This side of him was altogether new to her. She was slightly frightened. This man had so totally taken her, shattered her…

After she caught her breath, she rolled over, still in his arms and stared at him in abject wonder…

"Damn Benson…" is all she said.

"Will that hold you until tomorrow?" He asked playfully.

She snuggled deeper into his arms, and nodded.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, until she got back up, to clean up. Sam decided to shower. While rinsing off, Freddie came in:

"Hey, I remembered to bring my toothbrush, but forgot toothpaste. Do you have some?" He asked.

Sam opened the shower door and told him where hers was, in the medicine cabinet. Shortly after, she turned off the water and began drying herself. Freddie had just begun to brush his teeth. He finished just about the time she was stepping out of the shower with her towel wrapped around her. Freddie turned to her, smiled and gently loosened the towel and took it from her. Softly padding her dry with the towel, he continued smiling, and then kissed her.

"Tomorrow is going to be a very long day, waiting for tomorrow night. But, it will be worth it. And, um… have you got another comforter? Yours is… ahhh…" He said.

She blushed, smiled and nodded her head. Suddenly she felt a case of the 'shies'. She pulled on her T shirt and boxers while behind her Freddie pulled off his sweatpants. Going to her closet, she got another comforter and replaced the one on the bed. Turning around, she saw Freddie standing, watching her, wearing nothing but boxers himself. He had certainly changed from the eighteen year old she had thought of so very often. He had really filled out what had been a slight frame and, well, was smokin' hot. She blushed again when she noticed he was watching her, stare at him.

"Let's get some sleep…" He said breaking the silence.

Sam smiled, nodded and crawled into bed with Freddie right behind her. Sam reached over to set her alarm and turn off her light. They snuggled up together, kissed and got comfortable. Within moments she realized he was asleep; with his rhythmic breathing lulling her into the same state. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day, more so, tomorrow night.

Suddenly, as if she had pressed the rewind button in her mind, their last conversation from all those years ago replayed. She remembered it had ended with:

'_What is wrong with you?_'

With that poor choice of words, signifying her poor choices, she had cost them both. She could have been doing just this; lying here in his arms. But she had screwed that up royally. She had cost them both nearly seven years… all that time missing this, lying here in this bliss. She knew, even after this short time. She knew far too well. She was falling hard.

She just hoped he was as well.

She heard a noise, like white noise on a television. She slowly opened her eyes and began to look around. The room was dark, with only a sliver of light coming in from the nearly closed door.

Freddie was gone.

She heard the noise again, and then smelled it; pancakes. Confused, she rolled slowly out of bed. Her alarm clock went off just as her feet touched the floor. Grimacing, she reached over to shut it off and continued to stand up. Her robe hung on the back of her bedroom door. She slipped it on and shuffled down the short hallway… there he was, standing in the kitchen, in front of the stove with his robe on. She noticed his hair was damp. He hadn't seen her yet. He was busy pushing another pancake out of a frying pan onto an enormous stack of pancakes already on a plate.

He turned, saw her and smiled.

"Morning gorgeous!" He said.

She gathered him into a hug, resting her head against him.

"I don't remember you being a morning person. Do I smell bacon?" She asked grinning.

"Yes, you smell bacon, and that was a while back. I guess I am a morning person now. Some things change, Sam. I don't remember you blushing quite as much as you did last night." Freddie replied grinning back at her.

"I know, huh… and it was all your fault…" She said as she stepped back from him to stare at the stove top.

She lifted the lid on a pan, and smelled the bacon. Stealing a piece, she turned back to him; "So, I can expect this every morning?"

"Most mornings, yeah… I like big breakfasts. Unless you have totally buried your past, you do too. So, yeah, you'll get breakfast most mornings." He said while starting to pour the batter for another pancake.

"So you went back to your place to shower and get all this stuff." She said as a statement. "I'm impressed!" She finished.

"Well, kind of. I forgot the coffee grinder last night, so I went to get it. You didn't have much in the way of food for breakfast and I didn't feel like pie. So I went for supplies. I showered here, you didn't even wake up." He replied.

He gave her a quick kiss, sat her down at the table and poured their cups full of steaming coffee. He'd found her plates and tableware and had already set the table. On the dinner plate he served the pancakes. He then served them both scrambled eggs and bacon on a salad plate. He warned her to be careful of the syrup, since he had just taken it from the microwave.

They ate in relative silence.

"So what's your schedule today?" Sam asked as she helped him clear the table.

"Well, I work at ten, but I think I might try to get out of there a bit early…" He answered.

"Oh, why?" She asked coyly, smirking.

"Well," Freddie continued "there's this gal I know that I'm going to spend the evening with…"

Sam smiled, and opened a cupboard to the side of the refrigerator. Taking out a few bottles, she shook a couple tablets out of each. Separating the pills, she handed Freddie a small handful and then scooped the others into her hand.

"Vitamins?" Freddie asked looking at the tablets in his hand.

Sam took hers pills with a small glass of water. She refilled the glass and handed it to Freddie; "Yep, take 'em… You'll need 'em…" She said grinning.

* * *

**Read**

**~The CABAL~**

**aussiemma, axel100, BaalRules, BoxOfTrinkets, boxofpiglets, Coyote Laughs, Deviocity, Hartful13, hidden-in-the-pictures, ItalianBabexo8, iCabal, iCarlyangst, iLuvNathanKrEsS, JamesTheGreater, KingxLeon21, Myjumpingsocks, ober22, pairababes, Pieequals36, pigwiz, Tech-Man, The Earl of Sandwich, Waffles Of Doom,**** xXACCEBXx**

**From fluff, to face melting angst.**

**The Cabal authors produce some of the best.**

* * *

New Cabal member's hidden-in-the pictures and Waffles Of Doom have some amazing stories going on! You should read 'em! Also KingxLeon21 has continued his epic fic 'War Games'. IT should be required reading.

* * *

One of the authors I'm reading now:

Virgoleo23

* * *

I have two other stories in progress myself.

Check them out, please.

* * *

_**Don't be evil**_

_**Grow some angelic wings!**_

_**Leave that review…**_


	9. The Hammer

All's fair

Chapter 9: The Hammer

After Sam had left for work, Freddie sat for a bit nursing a cup of coffee at her kitchen table.

He was… enchanted, much more in fact. He was captivated with her.

He had slept fitfully, waking every hour or so. Each time he awoke he had found her in his arms, her… not some doppelganger, some substitute of her that he had conjured up in his mind.

He had finally gotten up when she had murmured something before lurching away from him and sitting up. She had sleepily looked about herself, and then flipped on the bedside light. Looking down at him, she had put her hand over his and wrapped herself in his arms again, saying she had dreamt he had left.

Pulling her closer, with her back to his chest, he had whispered that he would never, ever leave her. She settled down after that, but he held her until she had fallen back to sleep. By this time, he was wide awake. He had gently untangled himself from her and got up.

The last thing she had done, before kissing him on her way out the door for work, was to give him her key. He had her apartment key. Digging it out of his pocket, he stared at it for a moment.

Oddly enough, he equated it to the key to his heart… 'Man, how cheesy…' he thought.

He shook his head, glad he didn't think that out loud around her. That was just so strange.

He finished doing the breakfast dishes and made the bed. He gathered up everything he thought he might need for work, and got ready to head back over to his apartment.

He stood at the threshold, and looked back into her apartment. He was here, this wasn't some sick dream. He wasn't going to wake up and find himself with some other woman with a similar name.

He was ecstatic.

Jogging the short distance back to his door, he unlocked it and went in. It was only about seven o'clock. It was far too early to even think about going to his work. He knew his boss was an early riser, so he called him and asked if it would be okay if he worked today and took tomorrow off instead.

"No…" His boss said. "Benson, you were a wreck yesterday. Last time I looked, you have seven or eight weeks of vacation time saved up. So… did it go well with this gal last night?"

"Yeah… yeah it really did." Freddie answered.

"Well hell boy. Take her to lunch today. Make a day of it. Yeah, take her to lunch and buy her some flowers or something. You're a good guy Benson. My old boss did the same thing for me when I met my wife, so now I'm passing the favor on to you. Take a few days off. It's dead this time of year anyway. I'll see you Monday, bye." He hung up.

Freddie stared at his phone for a moment, and then flipped it closed.

'Well, okay then…' He thought.

He decided to lie down for a bit, maybe try to get in a nap. He set his alarm for nine, and promptly fell asleep.

It was nine twenty before he finally got up. The alarm had announced nine, but he wasn't ready to get up yet. He'd been thinking about what his boss had said;

'_Take her to lunch and buy her some flowers or something'_

That was a good idea. He wasn't sure if she was allowed calls at work, so he grabbed his phone and sent her a text.

'_Lunch?'_

His phone rang only moments after he had sent the message.

'Are you for real? I'd love to go to lunch! Aren't you working?' Sam blurted out before he could even say hello.

"Yes, perfect and no. My boss gave me off until Monday. Want to meet somewhere? Would you rather I picked you up?" He asked.

"Yes, pick me up! I know this great place, you'll love it…" Sam continued to give him the directions and time to be there. They hung up.

'…_buy her some flowers or something… _yeah or something.' Freddie thought. Walking over to his laptop, he found the files and burned a CD.

At about ten thirty, his house phone rang. He thought that was very odd, no one had that number, and the only reason he even had a house phone was that it was free.

The caller ID showed: **PAY PHONE PHOENIX AZ**

He picked it up; "Hello?"

Nothing.

"Hello?"

*click* the line went dead. The caller had hung up. Freddie shrugged, and hung up his phone.

It was nearly eleven when he got into his car. He was meant to be at Sam's work at eleven thirty. His GPS showed the trip would take about twenty minutes. He didn't want to be late.

She was walking out of the building just as he pulled up. She got in wearing a smile, they kissed. She gave him the directions to the restaurant while he was loading the CD in his stereo.

"Do you remember the music festival I took you to? The one where they guy next to us had that microphone?" Freddie asked as he pulled away from the curb.

The CD started to play.

"Benson… is that it? Is that the bootleg of that concert?" Sam asked.

"Yep…" He said nodding, still watching the road.

Sam began to laugh: "Remember what happened with his microphone thing?" Sam asked, still listening to the music.

Suddenly, over the top of the music, Sam's voice from nine years ago came through the speakers;

"_You stick that thing in my ass again buddy, you'll never be able to reproduce…_"

The music played on. Freddie smiled, but Sam was getting hysterical, laughing so hard.

When they were pulling into the parking lot of the deli she finally had started to settle down, and asked where in the world he had found that bootleg.

"On some pirate site on the web… I don't remember now, it was a couple of years ago." Freddie had said.

Lunch was good. The pair mostly talked about old friends, including Carly. Sam told him about her call to Carly (which he was aware of but played dumb once more) and of Carly's intention to call tomorrow. They were both looking forward to that.

After lunch, Freddie dropped her off in front of her office. Sam had told him to get some rest. "…you'll need it…" she had said with a smirk. He smiled back, gave her a quick kiss, and drove away.

On the way back to his apartment, he made a couple of stops. First, at a Bed & Bath store where he picked up a number of candles, body oils and two thick terrycloth robes. Next he stopped at a grocery store. He knew her well enough to know that she would be ravenous both after work and after whatever else happened over the long weekend. The basket was near to overflowing when he stopped at the deli / bakery. That's when he saw it: The perfect cake. It was a bit large at a half sheet, but he knew this was what he had to get. White frosting with the best pink piggy he'd ever seen. It is a masterpiece of confectionary art, in edible form. His coffee, this cake, it would be perfect.

As he was waiting in the checkout line, he thought over the last twenty four hours. Only yesterday at this time, she had called to him in front of the convenience store. Shortly after that they were at the bar, then his apartment, then her apartment, lunch and now this. He was getting food because he knew _she_ would want it. He was buying the foods _she_ would like… foods that would impress _her_. The cake was a good touch, but he had even gotten Dimitri's Bloody Mary Mix and the accompanying tin of rim salt. At thirty bucks a bottle, he normally didn't splurge like that on himself, but oddly enough, he felt Sam was worth the extra expense.

He smiled: 'Yeah, sure… come out here and ruin the girl… now look at me.' He thought to himself.

He paid for his items, loaded them in his car and drove the short distance to his apartment. Splitting the groceries up and storing some in his apartment, he bagged the rest to take to hers. He showered, dressed and packed a few items into an overnight bag. He made the short trek back to her apartment about an hour and a half before she was due to be home. There were some things he needed to get ready. Unpacking the groceries, he prepared a deli tray with meats, cheeses and small sandwich rolls. The usual condiments rounded it out. Next, he cleaned and sliced some celery sticks. The larger went on the tray while the smaller ones were set aside for the Bloody Marys.

He chuckled as he put the Dimitri Mix and the crystal skull full of Crystal Head Vodka in the fridge to chill. Sam would get a kick out of the skull, and it was damn fine vodka besides. He prepared a salt dish and put some glasses in the fridge to chill as well. Next thing was the candles. He knew they were a cheesy ploy, but Sam had a few candles here and there already. She had loved lovemaking by candlelight when they were young, so why not. He placed them around the bedroom. After hanging their new robes on the back of the bathroom door, he was ready. He walked back into her small front room, sat down on the couch and flipped on the TV. All he had to do now was wait for her to get home.

He dozed off.

He awoke to his cell phone ringing. Without checking who it was, he answered. It was Sam asking if she should stop and get anything, she was on her way home. He explained that he had stopped and picked up some essentials, if there was anything she needed, sure, but he was fine. She told him she would see him in about a half hour, and all he was to be wearing was a smile. They chuckled at this, said their goodbyes, and hung up.

He checked the time on his phone, three thirty five. 'Well' he thought 'the fun begins…'

It was indeed a whirlwind weekend, made up mostly of sex, food and sex. Small smatterings of conversation also occurred, but they would only lead up to more sex and or food. The best thing was that even though the conversations were spontaneous and maybe hilariously short, they meant something. They seemed to open a bit more of the windows to the souls. Both of them noticed that they fell back into the relationship easily.

There were some major differences this time around though. Both were nearly eight years older, and much worldlier in their outlook. Sam noticed that Freddie now took the lead at every opportunity, but relinquished it to Sam when slightly pressed. She liked that. He was easier to be around also. He seemed to have come to grips with 'himself'. He wasn't attempting to prove anything to anyone it seemed. If Sam said something to him that would have surely provoked a fight or at least a clash when they were younger, his response was to laugh it off with an eye roll or smirk. She really liked the way he had matured. She also found herself completely comfortable with him. He was now the type of guy she could say anything to; she could be herself. With Jack she always felt like she had to walk on egg shells just to keep things sane. It was especially bad after Jack had started drinking so much. It had been the same with Andy, even though he rarely drank. She still felt the need to hide within herself around him. Freddie made her feel as if she could share anything and everything.

At love making he was amazing. His tantric abilities were unsurpassed. She had always had trouble reaching climax. She thought it was just her, just the way she was. Now, she found if Freddie looked at her in a certain way she was writhing in ecstasy. By Sunday noon, she knew she wanted him back in her life permanently. This was the person that made her complete. She refused to say it out loud, yet. But she knew she had fallen in love with him again… it had been easy, far too easy.

Freddie was enthralled… The woman was perfect. She was vivacious, energetic and entertaining. Also, she was oh so sexy… She had outgrown the 'lazy Sam' thing she had been known for. She was now the first to help with any project that needed doing. Freddie had noticed that while doing some dishes. He had made them a snack after a prolonged session. Without a word she had come to help. They worked silently side by side for sometime. He knew, this was a match… this was it.

The candles were a hit, but the robes more so. To him, the robes were just a necessity, he didn't own one and hers, he'd noticed, was threadbare. She had obviously had a moment when he brought them out. After thanking him she had really 'thanked' him by using the robe in such seductive ways that he had never imagined.

By early Sunday morning they were exhausted. They had slept, sure… but once awake they had both resumed their physical fantasies with the other. Over and over until they were both sated, and now exhausted.

"This is so fucking cliché…" Sam said as she rolled over and scooted her back into Freddie.

They had been lying in bed, staring at each other.

Freddie pulled up the covers before putting his arm around her, gently cupping a breast. He nuzzled as close as he could to her and said to the back of her head:

"Well, it might be cliché… but I sure like it."

Sam chuckled, rolled back over and kissed him.

"So, now what?" She asked.

"Now what? Short term or long?" Freddie replied.

"Both." She said.

"Okay… well, really short term, we're going to take a nap. Then we're going to get up and I'm going to barbeque us a couple of huge steaks I have over at my place." Freddie said.

"mmmm… like that. But what about just a bit longer term?" Sam asked.

"That depends on what 'she' wants. I know what I want. I'm holding it at the moment." Freddie said.

"…well what she wants is right here in front of her…" She said nuzzling into him.

"In that case, just a bit longer term would be one of us moving in with the other shortly." He said.

"How much longer on your lease?" She asked.

"Three months." He replied.

"Perfect…" She mumbled into the crook of his neck, and then continued. "…and longer term?"

"Longer, huh… well how about we have about ninety kids and all the fun that goes into making them?" Freddie chuckled.

"Um… how about two or three and we just practice, a lot." She replied smirking.

"Done." Freddie said.

Sam nodded her head, and gave him the tiniest of hugs. Within moments, they were both asleep.

She woke first, still wrapped in his arms. She knew she could get very used to this… She knew that if she moved much he would wake up, she stayed still. Studying his face, she thought about how stupid she had been, again. How much time she had wasted, again. What she had put him through, again. What she had put herself through, again.

She kissed him awake.

Her stomach was growling, they could both hear it. He chuckled.

"I've got those two big steaks in the freezer at my place. Feel like a barbeque? Can you last that long?" Freddie asked grinning.

"Yeah, I can wait. C'mon, we need to get up and see if we'll need wheelchairs or if walking is possible. Besides that, open the window… it smells like Cupid's Gym in here." She said.

They got up, showered separately (knowing that if they didn't they would just end up back in bed) and dressed.

Sam had suggested they turn off their phones Thursday evening, which they did. Finally checking hers, she had over twenty missed calls from an unknown number. Freddie had none. Sam showed them to Freddie as he was leaving for his apartment to start the barbeque.

"That number looks like one of those 'GoPhone' numbers." He told her.

"Call it for me?" Sam asked, looking over his shoulder.

Freddie selected the last missed call and pressed 'call'… it rang.

"_Sam! Where have you been?"_ Carly said answering excitedly.

"Hi Carl's… this is me, Freddie. She's right here. How are you? It's been a while…" Freddie replied while mouthing who it was to Sam.

Sam looked confused, but nodded in reply.

"_Oh! Hi Freddie… I've been good, good… and you?"_ Carly replied with an odd inflection.

"Great! Better than great in fact! But let me give the phone to Sam, she didn't know this number and asked me to call… I'll talk to you soon…" Freddie said handing the phone to Sam.

Sam took the phone and asked Carly to hold for a moment. Turning back to Freddie, she told him she would make a salad and be over in a little while. Freddie kissed her, gave her a hug and left.

"Carly, you would not believe the last few days! We are so back and I'm so happy!" Sam said into the phone…

Freddie was standing just outside the door. He couldn't help but hear what Sam had just told their friend… He felt elated. They were back. He continued walking to his apartment, opened the door and went directly into the kitchen. He took the steaks out of the freezer and set them in the microwave to thaw them quickly. Having started that he went back out to his small landing and lit the charcoal in the tiny barbeque grill. While the charcoals burned he went back in to prepare his home made barbeque sauce and add some spices to the meat. That done, he checked the grill and saw it was ready. He was just putting the meat on the grill when he noticed Sam coming around the corner of his building. He noticed she didn't have the salad she said she was going to make.

He made a slight adjustment to the meat, and without looking up asked; "Didn't have everything you needed? Check my fridge, I might have it… What's Carly up too?"

Sam didn't answer.

He made a few more slight adjustments to the grill, looked up and saw Sam had stopped at the top of his landing.

Turning to her, he started to say; "What…" until he was startled by Sam's expression.

She was glaring at him.

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	10. Nailed

All's fair

Chapter 10: Nailed

"Are you okay, Sam?" Freddie asked.

Her glare continued. Freddie was perplexed, confused. He stood, not moving, waiting for her reply.

"Key." She said finally.

"Oh, I'd be pissed too if I'd locked myself out of my apartment. Sure here…" He said digging her key out of his pocket and holding it out to her.

She snatched it out of his hand and shoved it into her pants pocket. Her eyes never left his, the glare continued.

Freddie cocked his head to one side and raised his eyebrows: "Sam?" He questioned while moving closer to her. He raised his hand to her shoulder…

She slapped his hand away.

"Wh… what's wrong?" He asked backing slightly away, obviously shocked.

Sam stood very still for another few moments before she shook her head and said with considerable venom:

"So, Carly told me she had to get this 'GoPhone' thing so she could call me. Do you have any idea why she had to do that?"

Freddie shook his head, no.

"Well, Carly's phone is monitored by her work. My number has been blocked by the State Department because it has a tap on it. A tap you put on my phone. She told me all about this tap thing you have and how it works… you asshole! I thought I could trust you!"

Freddie didn't respond.

Sam slapped him, hard. Turned and left without another word.

Freddie watched her go down the stairs and continued to stare at her retreating form until she disappeared around the corner of his building.

He hadn't moved, except to put his hand over his cheek. He stood on his landing for quite some time, then turned and entered his apartment. The steaks and barbeque were forgotten.

Back inside, he sat at his tiny table / desk, booted one of the older laptops and logged into his account. Bringing up Sam's phone records, he stopped the message storage and 'where is' query.

He slowly closed the lid, picked up the laptop and threw it against the wall.

He grimaced at the dent in the wall, and then stared at the bits and pieces of his laptop strewn across the floor for a moment. He shook his head, turned on the TV and lay down on the bed.

The next thing he knew, it was seven fifteen in the morning. He'd slept for nearly twelve hours. He laid there for a while, thinking about what he should do about Sam. He knew he had to apologize… maybe he could fix this. It was too late now though, she would already be at work. He thought about sending her a text, but then decided against it. He knew he would go to work today, if for no other reason, to get his mind off Sam. He decided to try to see her after he got home.

He got up to make coffee, and something to eat, until he remembered that his coffee maker was still at Sam's apartment. He wanted some coffee, so he put on some clothes and grabbed his keys and wallet. There was a coffee place a couple blocks away. He opened his front door and nearly tripped on a couple of paper grocery bags left sitting in front of the door.

Dragging them in, he found the food he'd bought, his coffee maker and some clothes he'd left at Sam's… and the robes. Written on the side of one of the bags was a short, terse note;

'_Don't call, just move as soon as you can. Sam'_

'Damn! They had agreed not to get mad and do this!' He thought to himself.

He made his coffee and fumed. They had agreed! He kept thinking over and over… He got ready for work and left.

He had a number of things to catch up on since he had been off for a few days. Between customers and paper work he really didn't have time to think about 'her'. Finally, it was time to close. He drove home, parked his car and walked around the corner to her apartment. Knocking on the door, he waited. He saw the blinds in the window move slightly but she didn't come to the door. He knocked again.

The door flew open.

"Listen, I told you to leave me alone!" Sam yelled at him.

The door slammed closed.

He knocked again… nothing. He decided to try one more time, he knocked.

The door opened… "Say whatever you have to say, and then get the hell away from me." Sam snapped while fixing him with a withering glare.

Freddie stood for a moment, saying nothing. Then looked up, into her eyes;

"Look Sam, I apologize. Yes, I tapped your phone to find you. I'm sorry. But I did come all the way out here from South Dakota to see if there was a chance for us. I think there is. We have a connection Sam… we have… I don't know chemistry I guess. You know it would work. These last few days… well, you know how we are. We work; we're good together and for each other. Last Wednesday I promised you that there would be no head games, no lies and if we were angry we would work things out with each other. You told me I was what you wanted. Well, you're what I want. I love you, and… well that's it. I love you… and I think you love me too." Freddie said.

Sam looked at him for a moment, then said; "Is that it?"

Freddie nodded.

"I do love you, Freddie…" Sam said, quietly.

Freddie looked up, smiling.

"But I'll get over it." She fumed and slammed the door shut.

Freddie stood staring at the door for a few moments, then turned and walked back toward his apartment. As he got to the bottom of the stairs leading to the second floor, and his apartment, he noticed two fellows get out of their car and follow him up the stairs. There were three other apartments on this floor, so that didn't seem out of place. At the landing, he turned slightly to his right and took the few remaining steps over to his door.

Inserting his key in the lock, he opened the door and stepped in. Turning to close the door, he saw the two fellows had followed directly behind him and were now blocking him from closing the door. Both were dressed in Levi's and western cut shirts. Both needed a shave.

"Your name Benson? Fred Benson?" The taller of the two asked in a Midwestern accent.

"Yeah, almost… I go by Freddie. And you're?" Freddie asked.

"He goes by Freddie…" the shorter man said with a snicker.

"Freddie, do you remember a gal named Pam in Sioux Falls?" The larger man asked.

Freddie stood mute…

"Well, my name is Tom, and this here is Brian… Brian's her husband and she's my sister." The taller fellow said.

The fist speeding to his jaw was the last thing Freddie saw…

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_**Yes, a very short chapter. My apologies… But, this chapter HAD to end here.**_

_**These last ten chapters have been nothing but a prologue.**_

_** Now, the real story begins…**_

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	11. Just when you thought

All's fair

Chapter 11: Just when you thought...

He awoke to throbbing pains, everywhere. His left eye was nearly swelled shut. Trying to stand only put him back on the floor with a hard fall and wrenching pain from his ankle… it wasn't broken, he could still move his foot, but it was badly sprained and swollen.

Then he remembered what had happened. Pam's husband and brother… this wasn't the first time this had happened, but it sure may be the worst beating his philandering had ever produced.

He dragged himself into his bathroom and began the process. He kept a number of supplies just for the times that this kind of thing happened. Checking his face in the mirror, he had a swollen nose and badly blackened left eye. He wasn't sure how he sprained his ankle, but he did remember them kicking him in the stomach… which explained the soreness and bruises on his abdomen and chest. His lips had been split, but he had been out long enough that the bleeding had stopped. He ran some hot water and began to clean himself up. Afterward, he didn't look quite so bad, but he still had his ankle to contend with. He could barely stand. Wrapping it with a compression bandage did worlds of good, but he still had problems getting around. He began searching through his closet and found the old cane he had inherited from his great grandfather. He'd never been one to keep much, but the old oak cane had always fascinated him for some reason.

'Maybe this was why…' he thought.

He took a handful of aspirins and lay down on his bed. It was nearly three in the morning. 'Work was not going to be fun later today.' He mused.

He told his boss that he had fallen down the stairs at his apartment building. His boss noticed that Freddie seemed depressed, but thought it must be the aches and pains evident when he had to walk, so he didn't say anything.

Sam started her new job checking over life insurance claims. Her new duties consisted of looking into claims that were… different. Her boss was explaining things to her…

"…so you see Sam, this one is really just a fluke. He took out the insurance and about a month later passed away when he fell off of his fishing boat and drowned. These will show up here from time to time just because the insured didn't pass due to natural causes so soon after the policy was taken out. This other one is a real fluke. It's the same circumstances as far as the timing goes, but the policy payment is much different. This woman was killed when her car went off the road and into a ravine. The first problem is when the policy was taken out. It's only a few days until the insured died, and the amount of time since the death that it was filed… the next day. Then there is another real problem here. It's that the policy pays to a numbered bank account in Belize. That makes it look very suspicious. The police investigation didn't raise any flags though, so… we'll pay the claim. We could hold up the payment and try to find out who it is getting the payment, but it's a numbered account. The people in Belize will just smile at our agent and basically tell us to jump in the lake…"

Sam looked over the paperwork about the poor fellow that drowned, and then the one about the woman who drove into the ravine…

Sam's breath hitched… 'The woman's name was Andrea Lockwood… it couldn't be the same person. The woman died in the high desert, seemingly on her way to Beatty, Nevada driving along a tiny two lane highway… highway 395.' Sam thought.

Sam looked on the front page of the packet of forms… the date of death was four days ago. Flipping through the pages of the packet she came to a personal information page, and the deceased's picture… It was her… Andrea Lockwood was one of Andy's girlfriends that she had met that insane night at the 'La Cave' restaurant only a little over two and a half weeks ago.

The rest of the week passed without any major incidents. Freddie was getting better daily, but still needed the cane to walk. The sprain in his ankle was healing, but it was still very sore and difficult to walk.

Sam nearly ran into Freddie in the laundry room Friday evening, but upon noticing him folding his laundry, she abruptly turned around and returned to her apartment. Freddie noticed her in the doorway of the laundry room, and grimaced when she turned around and left. He noticed that a lone sock had fallen out of her laundry basket. He didn't do anything at first, he had decided that the less contact they had while he still lived here, the better it would be. About twenty minutes later, on his way back to his apartment he noticed the sock still on the lawn.

"Oh hell…" He said out loud to himself. He sat his laundry basket on the ground and picked up the escaped sock. Walking over to her door, he knocked… no answer.

"Sam! It's Freddie, you dropped a sock." He said while knocking again.

He waited for a moment, knocked again, and then shook his head.

"Sam, it's only a sock, okay… You dropped it. I'll leave it here on the doorknob…" He called while placing the sock over the doorknob. It fell off.

Then he got the weird idea of putting the sock over the doorknob. He chuckled and stretched the elastic top over the knob and began to twist it into place. The knob turned, the door opened.

That's when he smelled it… gas. He pushed the door all the way open and looked in. Sam was sitting in a chair, looking directly at him, not moving.

Freddie stepped back, turned his head and gulped in as much air as his lungs could hold. He shuffled into the apartment as fast as he could with the impediment of his ankle. Grabbing her by her arm, he leaned over and picked her up over his shoulder. His ankle complained bitterly, but he managed to get her outside the apartment. Standing just outside her door, he decided to get her back to a bench in the laundry room. He hobbled over to it, and then inside. He unceremoniously dumped her onto the bench and then sat down next to her. He had just begun lightly rubbing her cheeks and neck when she began to come around.

She leaned forward and vomited.

Freddie managed to catch her hair and hold it back, but wasn't able to dodge all of it. She sat back up and began sucking in huge gulps of air.

"Are you okay?" Freddie asked.

Sam looked at him and nodded. She resumed breathing normally over the next few moments.

"What the hell happened?" She asked.

"I'll tell you in just a moment… rest here until I get back… don't go into your apartment. It's full of gas." Freddie said.

Sam looked at him for a moment, and then nodded.

Freddie pulled out his cell phone and called 911, explaining what had happened as he limped toward his car. Opening the trunk, he took out a small tool chest and retraced his steps. Passing the laundry room, he continued to a north facing wall with a number of gas meters. Finding the one belonging to Sam's apartment, he adjusted his crescent wrench and turned off the gas.

Returning to the laundry room, he stood in front of Sam.

"Better?" He asked.

Sam nodded: "Yeah… look at you; I puked all over you…"

"It's okay… look, you can still be pissed at me. Its fine… well not fine, but I do have it coming I guess… I'm just glad your better. I thought… well… I'm glad you're better. I shut off the gas and called the fire department. I'll stay here until they show up if you want." Freddie replied.

"So what did happen?" Sam asked.

"When you saw me in the laundry room and left, you dropped a sock. I knocked on your door, trying to return it. You didn't answer. So I put it on your door knob and while doing that the knob turned and your door opened. I saw you comatose on your couch and smelled the gas so I brought you here. You started gasping and gulping air, then threw up… That's it in a nutshell. I've no idea where the gas leak is, but let's let the fire guys figure that out before you go back to your place. And… if you don't want me around, I'll go." Freddie said.

"Alright… look… sorry for puking on you… and please stay. I'm… I'm still upset about… you know… but thanks. Thanks for getting me out of there." Sam said.

Freddie nodded. He went outside and brought in his laundry basket. Sitting down on the bench, he pulled off his soiled pants and shoes and changed into some sweat pants. He put the soiled clothes in a washer and started it.

"You just wanted to see me with my pants off again, didn't you…" Freddie said chuckling.

Sam smiled.

A fire truck pulled up, followed closely by a gas company service truck. Freddie explained the situation in detail to the Fire Captain while the rest opened windows, set up fans and looked for the leak. Shortly, a paramedic team arrived and took Sam out to their truck.

Freddie waited for his clothes to finish washing, took them out of the washer and decided he had had enough time in the laundry room for one night. His head had started to ache nearly as bad as his ankle. It had been a long, crazy week. He took his wet laundry, picked up his basket and returned to his apartment. Flipping on the TV, he promptly fell asleep.

He awoke to someone knocking at his door. He groggily limped over, and opened it. It was Sam, accompanied by two Police Officers:

"Freddie, they want to interview you… someone tried to murder me!" Sam said.

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	12. I'm not trying to fix things

All's fair

Chapter 12: I'm not trying to fix things...

Freddie was barely able to process that Sam had told him someone tried to murder her when the two policemen asked him to come with them. It seems the 'interview' was to take place at the police station.

One of the people from the apartment complex came for Sam, explaining that she wouldn't be able to stay in her apartment… That's as far as Freddie got, he couldn't hear any more of their conversation since Sam was now downstairs.

He was a bit taken back by the policeman's request, but decided that doing what they asked would be best at this point.

"Am I under arrest?" Freddie asked them.

"No, we just need to ask you some questions." One of the policemen replied.

Freddie nodded, told them he needed to get his keys, and went back inside his apartment; one of the police followed him as far as the front room. Grabbing his keys off the counter he followed one officer while the other was behind him… although they said he wasn't under arrest, the way they were acting made him nervous.

After a complete question and answer session that lasted nearly three hours. The pair thanked him and said he was free to go. They led him to an office and asked him to have a seat while they arranged for someone to take him back to his apartment.

After a short wait, a community services officer came to get him and drove him home in relative silence. Freddie thought that if the CSO didn't want to chat, he didn't either.

He trudged up his stairs and unlocked his apartment door. His head and ankle were throbbing, reminding him he wasn't over the beating of last weekend yet. He again lay down on his bed and flipped on the TV. He was asleep in an instant.

He was startled awake by a loud knocking on his door. His TV was showing some ancient black and white sitcom… it was Saturday morning, about ten his wristwatch showed.

Still groggy, he slid off the side of his bed, hobbled over to his door and opened it.

"Oh, hi Sam… are you okay? Come in, want some coffee?" Freddie said.

"Ahhh… no thanks. Look, I just wanted to tell you thanks. Thanks for doing that… getting me out of there. I… well that's it. Just thanks and… well thanks." Sam replied haltingly.

"No coffee huh? Well, I won't press it. And you're welcome. I know you would have done the same for me, even under… well even now. So… it was no big deal…" Freddie said.

Sam looked at him for a moment, nodded and turned to leave.

"So did the cops figure out anything?" Freddie called after her.

Sam stopped for a moment on his landing, and then slowly turned back to him.

"No, they didn't… I have no ideas at all. I think it was a mistake or some kind of sick prank." Sam said.

Freddie nodded.

"Look, you didn't do that did you? I mean, you wouldn't do that would you… because… well because I left." Sam said.

Freddie looked startled, then grimaced; "No Sam… I would never try to hurt you. No, I didn't do that. Be careful though, someone did try. Where did they move you?"

"To the other side of the complex… further from the freeway… I might, well I think I'll just stay there. Then you can stay here, you won't have to move… Look, I have some stuff to do. I need to go, but I did want to stop and thank you… so thanks again." She said.

"…welcome…" Freddie said reaching for her hand.

He took her hand for just a moment; he gave it a tiny squeeze.

She snatched her hand away.

"Oh, sorry…" He said.

"…me too…" Sam said as she turned and went down the stairs.

Freddie closed the door.

He spent the rest of the day doing nothing for the most part. He found he was having trouble concentrating on anything for any length of time. His mind continually went back to what Sam had said…

"_I think it was a mistake or some kind of sick prank."_

He had seen the hole drilled through the wall with the plastic tube going to the gas meter. It may have been a mistake, but it certainly was no prank.

Frankly, he was worried. He just couldn't convince himself that it was a mistake.

By evening he had decided it couldn't be anything but a real attempt on Sam's life. He had picked up his phone a few times in preparation to calling her… just to set the phone down again.

He prepared his evening meal as if by rote. After he had finished the dishes, he couldn't remember what it was he had eaten.

He picked up the phone, and touched in her number… it went direct to her voice mail.

He hung up without leaving a message. An hour later he tried again with the same results.

He shook his head and decided to give up… it just didn't matter anymore. He went to bed and stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep.

Freddie got up early Sunday morning telling himself that it was time to get over his 'funk'. He could either be miserable and pine away for Sam, or go back to what he was before.

'At least what I was seemed to work… There was always Molly, the girl from the diner." He thought.

He'd made his decision, Molly would be his next. He fired up his computer and played some online games he hadn't enjoyed for months. Since before he left South Dakota.

After a few hours of this, he stood up and stretched, got a snack for lunch, and opened the window curtains. He noticed Sam's car was parked in her old parking stall. She came out of her old apartment carrying a box of things and put it in the back seat, then went into the laundry room.

"DAMNIT!" He said out loud. He watched her go from the laundry room to her old apartment and then to her car a few times… He knew he had to tell her his suspicions. Maybe doing that would be the closure he needed with her.

He thought for a moment, deciding that even if she got mad and refused to speak to him, it wouldn't make any difference. She didn't speak to him now…

He never had really dressed so he quickly threw on some clothes and shoes, grabbed his cane and made his way downstairs.

He surprised her.

He was standing on the sidewalk in front of her old apartment wondering if she was in it or the laundry room when she came out of the apartment and nearly ran into him. She could hardly see over all the clothes she had in her arms. She hadn't noticed him. She stopped, readjusted the pile of clothing in her arms and looked directly at him.

"Freddie, don't do this." She said.

"Look… I'm not _doing_ anything. I just…" Freddie started.

"Freddie, just… just go away. Please, just go." Sam interrupted shaking her head.

"Sam… would you just shut up for a moment and listen! That was no accident. Someone tried to kill you. I have no idea why… not a clue. But that was not an accident. Believe it. There, I said what I wanted to say. I'm going home." Freddie said, and then turned to leave.

He heard something drop, and turned back around. He saw that she had dropped a few things off the pile of clothes she had been carrying.

"Look, don't get all freaked out… I'm going to pick up what you dropped and put them in the laundry room. Stop acting like an ass… I'm _not_ trying to _fix things_, okay?" Freddie said peevishly.

Sam stared at him during his tirade, and then nodded her head.

"…the car, those go in the car…" Sam mumbled.

Freddie finished picking the small pile of clothing up, nodded, and began walking toward the car. Sam followed. He opened the back driver's side door and put the clothing on top of a pile already there. Sam did the same with her armful.

"Thanks." She mumbled.

"Welcome." He mumbled back.

He looked over to her, nodded, and then turned to leave. He stopped by the left front tire. There was a small puddle of fluid on the ground. He knelt down, put his finger in the puddle, looked at it, smelled it and rubbed it between his fingers.

"This is brake fluid…" He said out loud to himself.

Sam looked at him, confused.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

He ignored her question. He stepped back a bit, out of the puddle and got down on his hands and knees. He maneuvered himself so he could see behind the tire…

"What the heck…!" He said loudly while his head was in the wheel well.

He crawled back and looked at Sam.

"Help me up." He said holding out his right arm.

She did.

"Well Sam…" He paused to take a breath.

"What Freddie, what's wrong?" She said.

"…someone has cut your brake line." Freddie said.

* * *

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	13. Revelations

All's fair

Chapter 13: Revelations

* * *

"Cut the break line? Why would someone do that?" Sam exclaimed.

Freddie didn't answer. He walked around her and stopped for a moment at the back of her car, and then continued on following the path she had driven. He was staring down, looking at the asphalt.

Sam followed him.

"Look there… and there." Freddie said pointing to fresh tiny puddles of brake fluid going back toward her new apartment.

"What's that?" Sam finally said.

"That's brake fluid. Whoever did this didn't cut the line all the way through, they just notched it. That way the fluid wouldn't all run out at once. On a normal day you would be able to get to the freeway before your brakes went out. Then when you tried to stop…"

He didn't finish the sentence.

Sam was stunned.

"What the hell is going on, Freddie?"

"I don't know but this is no accident, Sam." He said grimly.

Sam stared at him, but didn't respond.

"By the way, where did you get the idea that this gas in your apartment was some prank?" He asked.

"The police…" She said.

Freddie nodded; "They closed the case, didn't they." He said.

Sam looked back at him, she was nervous, jittery. "Yep, case closed" She whispered.

Freddie nodded again, and walked back to her car.

"Damn it!" Sam said.

"Are you worried about staying in your apartment?" He asked.

Sam nodded.

"Come stay at my place… just until things get sorted out. I mean…" Freddie said.

"No… that's not a good idea." Sam interrupted.

"Look, I was going to say that there is no pressure. Like I said, I'm not trying to fix stuff. I'm just worried about you." Freddie said.

"Oh yeah, and you'll protect me. Big strong stalker Benson will keep me safe…" Sam snapped.

"Okay, fine then. I tried… I promise to put flowers on your grave." Freddie said in exasperation as he stalked off.

Sam watched him walk away, shook her head and went into the laundry room to get the last of her clothes. She loaded them in her car, went back and locked the door of her old apartment and returned to her car. Sitting down in the driver's seat, she started the car, and then thought how stupid this was. Her brakes were getting 'mushy' when she had got here. They would be non existent now.

Freddie was pissed. He was standing n the middle of his apartment, staring at the walls. He knew Sam... She would do this 'I'm okay' shit until whoever it was trying to kill her succeeded. He opened the cabinet above the refrigerator and took down a bottle of Craigellachie. He poured the nearly precious amber liquid into a shot glass and took a sip.

Sam moved her shift lever into reverse and slowly backed the car out of the parking space. She used the emergency brake to stop herself as she slowly drove the short distance back to her apartment. Parking the car in her new designated spot, she unloaded the car and fumed.

"…stay at his place. Oh yeah, just what I need to do… the bastard." She said out loud to herself.

None of her furniture would be here for a couple more days. She sat on the floor and tried to pretend that the walls weren't closing in on her. Then, she remembered something…

He fumed and ranted to himself for over an hour while nursing his drink. When it was gone, he got up, poured another and sat back down. About halfway through this portion, there was a knock on his door. He looked over to the door and noticed it wasn't locked…

"WHAT!" He yelled.

The door swung open and Sam stepped in with a small valise.

"Alright, But you're sleeping on the couch!" Sam yelled.

"I don't have a couch." Freddie replied.

"We are not sharing that bed Benson…" Sam growled.

"That's good, because the bed is a twin size. It's just not big enough for two adults." He said.

"Well… I'm not sleeping on the floor!" Sam ranted.

"You don't have too… I have a perfectly good air mattress and sleeping bag. I'll take it. You can have the bed. And… thanks. I'm glad you came to your senses…" He said.

Sam dropped her valise on the bed and sat down at the table, across from Freddie.

"I'll have a drink of that… what is it?" Sam said.

"It's an obscure but very good single malt Scotch whiskey, and it's expensive. It's meant to be sipped, not gulped… okay?"

Sam looked at him for a moment, and then nodded.

"Well, get off your ass and get a glass… I'm not your fuckin' butler." Freddie said.

Sam glared at him for a moment and then got up and went into the kitchen.

"Glasses are in the cupboard just to the right of the sink…" Freddie mumbled.

Sam grabbed a glass and slammed the cupboard door closed. Returning to the table, she sat down across from him again, grimaced, and then looked up.

Freddie was glaring at her.

"Look…" They said simultaneously.

They both stopped speaking and looked at each other, surprised and slightly amused at their shared expression.

"I'm sorry…" They again spoke as one.

This time they both began to laugh and continued until Sam held up her hand.

"Freddie… Thanks, really. I do appreciate this. I'm still upset with you… upset… hell I'm really pissed at you, but… Well, I know you don't have to do this. Thanks." She said.

"It's okay." Freddie replied nodding.

"…and I really can't steal your bed. I'll sleep in the bag, you keep your bed." She continued.

"No… I think I might be better on the floor for a while anyway. My back still aches a bit. You take the bed. I insist." Freddie said.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Sam asked.

Freddie looked exasperated, but told her the entire thing. Start to finish while they sipped their Scotch whiskey.

"…so you mean to tell me that some chick's husband and brother tracked you all the way out here?" Sam asked.

"Yep… that was a first. Oddly enough, I really didn't know she was married. It's not like it would have made a difference, but still. Surprise surprise…" Freddie said.

Sam grinned and shook her head; "You're crazier than I thought…"

"Was… that's _was_ crazier. I'm getting too old to get my ass kicked like that. It's never taken this long to get over a beating." Freddie answered.

Sam looked surprised; "This has happened before?" She asked.

"Sure, it's kind of an occupational hazard. Look Sam, it was weird okay? I mean I didn't give a damn about them. I told you this already…"

"I guess… it's just, you know, you're not the type for all that." Sam said.

Freddie didn't respond.

Sam didn't say anything for a few minutes, and then blurted out:

"So, how did you do it anyway? How did you track me?"

"You really want to know?" Freddie asked while staring at her.

"Yeah, I do…" Sam replied.

Freddie got up, hobbled over to his desk and picked up a laptop. Returning to the kitchen table, he sat next to her. He took a sip of his drink, opened the laptop and turned it on.

"It works like this…" He said.

He went on to explain how he had set it up: tracking their movement, trapping text and voice messages and setting up the 'dinner' with all of Andy's girlfriends and wife. After about twenty minutes, he finished. Sam hadn't said a thing throughout his explanations. She glanced over to him, shook her head and sighed.

"Okay, so if Carly's work hadn't of ratted you out, I'd have never found out and…" Sam said.

"Yeah, pretty much…" Freddie said nodding.

Sam nodded.

"So are these program things still running?" Sam asked offhandedly.

"I was just thinking about that… I know I shut yours off, but I don't remember shutting off the others… Shall we check?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, do it." Sam said scooting her chair closer to his while staring intently at the laptop screen.

Freddie looked at her for a moment, amused, and then began the log in sequence for the tracking programs.

"Well, they're still running on everyone but you…" He said.

"It's too bad about Andrea…" Sam said.

"Why, what happened to Andrea?" Freddie asked while setting up to run the 'where is' queries.

"She was killed in an auto accident." Sam replied, not looking up from the computer screen.

Freddie stopped what he was doing and turned and stared at Sam.

"She was killed?" He asked.

"Yeah, my company wrote her life insurance policy and… oh shit!" Sam looked at Freddie.

"Oh shit indeed. And then someone tries to kill you… no coincidence there, huh." Freddie said sarcastically.

"I'd never thought about that. And the policy was just taken out a few days before she died. And, besides that, it pays to a numbered account someplace. Shit!" Sam exclaimed.

"Well, the trace is still running on her phone… let's take a look…" Freddie said as he brought up his 'where is' program.

Sam was staring intently at the screen…

"It looks like it hasn't moved for a while…" She said.

"Well yeah, it would. This shows the newest first. I can take it back though. Just a minute…" He said while scrolling through a time line.

"Here, this must be where she went off the road since the cell tower updates have stopped. I can map this also, just a minute." He said.

"So this is how you tracked us, how you knew where we were?" Sam asked while still staring at the computer screen.

Freddie nodded.

Sam reached over and whacked the back of his head.

"Hey!" Freddie yelped.

"Shut it, you had that coming." Sam said, still staring at the screen.

Freddie glared at her for a moment, and then finished bringing up the mapping program.

"Yep, that's it. That's where the police report said she drove into the ravine."

Freddie sat back in his chair: "Well, that's it." He said.

"So, who do you have this tracking thing recording on?" Sam asked.

"You, up until last week… Andy and his wife… the Lockwood woman, Betty Florence and Anne Malbry. Everyone but yours is still running. I forgot to shut them off." Freddie said.

Sam nodded.

"So, bring up Andy's." She said.

Freddie minimized the map showing Andrea Lockwood's information and re-ran the program with Andy's data.

"This is weird, his phone hasn't moved for over a week. It's at his house." Freddie mumbled.

"Uh huh… I've got an idea… do the same for his wife." Sam said.

Freddie glanced over at Sam for a moment and then shut down the map for Andy. Repeating the commands for Cassandra, he waited a moment while the information downloaded. In just a few moments he sat back in his chair and pointed at the screen.

"Sam, look…" He said.

"Yep, now bring up Andrea's map for the time period… say the last three hours Andrea was alive. Use the same timeframe for Cassandra." Sam said.

"I can do better than that. I can superimpose them…" Freddie said.

He made a few adjustments in his code and brought up both maps.

"Holy… look!" He said.

"Yeah, just what I was expecting… they match…" Sam said.

* * *

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Who am I reading at the moment? Why Moviepal of course!


	14. Hoops and Hunches

All's fair

Chapter 14: Hoops and Hunches

* * *

Freddie gawked at the map for a moment, and then brought up the rest of the timeline for Cassie.

"This is nuts! Look here, Sam…" Freddie said pointing at the screen.

Sam looked: "Can you give that more detail? Zoom it in some?" She asked.

"No, it doesn't work that way. It's not an exact thing. It will only show about a fifteen or twenty meter area. This isn't exact, like a GPS." Freddie replied.

"But still, she was all over the place, all around my apartment..." Sam said.

Freddie nodded.

"She's back home now, or at least her phone is." He said after moving the time line up to the present.

"So now what?" Sam asked.

"Now what? I'm hungry… you?" Freddie asked.

"…yeah, I am. What do you have?" She replied.

"Not a damn thing here, but I know this great diner…" Freddie said.

Neither of them really spoke on the drive over. He pulled into the parking lot of the strip mall that his shop was in. Walking into the diner, Molly smiled at them from behind the counter…

"Hi Sam, so this is why? I thought he was just dense or something." Molly said.

Freddie started to say something, but only got out a mumbled "Umwha?"

Sam returned Molly's greeting, but looked confused.

"Look, I've been horribly flirting with him for weeks… never got anywhere. I just thought he was dense. Now I see why he didn't react." Molly said grinning.

Sam smiled; "Yeah… well…" Was all she said.

"So I take it you two know each other?" Freddie asked.

The two women ignored Freddie's question… Molly asked Sam if she wanted her usual, Sam nodded and then said; "…better make it two…"

Molly turned and began dishing up two ham dinners, and then sat them on the counter.

Sam took them both, ordered two green salads besides, and told Freddie to pay…

'Things haven't changed much…' Freddie thought while handing Molly his ATM card. He turned and noticed Sam had chosen a table on the far side of the nearly empty restaurant. Walking over to the table, he set their salads down.

"I'll have iced tea, three sugars, no ice…" Sam said handing him their empty glasses.

Returning with their drinks, he sat down and stared at Sam for a moment. She didn't return the gaze… he slowly shook his head and began to eat.

About halfway through the meal, he couldn't stand it any longer.

"Why didn't you tell Molly we weren't together?" He blurted out quietly, so as to not be overheard.

Sam stopped eating, looked up at him and said: "Finish eating…"

Freddie looked at her incredulously for a moment, Sam didn't respond, she continued to eat her meal, ignoring his stare.

After another twenty minutes, they were finished. Sam stood first, and then asked loudly; "Are you ready, babe?"

Freddie stared at her for a moment, nodded and got up. Sam grabbed his left hand with her right in a vice like grip, and they made their way back out to his car.

Getting in the car, closing the doors and starting the engine was done in complete silence.

"What the hell are you doing?" Freddie asked.

"What, you mean ruining your chances with Molly?" Sam asked innocently.

"Well yeah, you managed that I guess… is that what the handholding and 'babe' stuff is for?" Freddie asked peevishly.

"Yep, that was it. Two reasons really…" Sam answered.

"And they are…?" He asked.

"First, Molly is an acquaintance of mine. I've known her for a while. Her uncle owns that place and she's worked there since she was eleven. I like her, and you're not going to have an opportunity to use her like you did the others." She said.

"Okay… and the other reason?" Freddie asked.

"You are on probation and I don't share. Let's see how you do at redeeming yourself." She said.

"Probation…?" He asked.

"Probation… now, let's go back to your place. I have a couple thoughts I want to run by you." She replied.

"What do you mean… redeem myself?" Freddie asked while pulling out of the parking lot.

Sam stared at him.

"The word 'redeem' means to do something that makes up for poor behavior in the past. If you prefer we can call it atonement. Do I need to describe the meaning of atonement for you?" Sam stated flatly.

"No, you don't, but…" Freddie started.

"Shut it and listen, Benson… What you did was bad, creepy. It was really awful. In a kind of sick way it was also slightly flattering that you did all that crap, set up the dinner and stuff, just to try to get me back in your life. I won't lie and tell you I hadn't been kind of hoping I could turn back time and do stuff over again… I just didn't have the 'tools' you used to attempt it."

She paused for a moment and took a breath.

"Now, if you want to get back into my good graces, you'll need to jump through a few hoops. Do you think you can do that?" She asked flatly.

Freddie glanced at her for a moment, and then returned his eyes to the road…

"I guess… it would depend on the hoops, maybe?" He tentatively said.

"…yeah, caution. That's a good sign from you at this point. It denotes a bit of fear of the unknown. Good call Benson… So, you wouldn't mind trying to pick up the pieces of this mess if given the opportunity?" She asked.

Freddie sighed.

"I guess not, no that's not right… I would like to try again, but you've kind of got me on these 'hoops'." Freddie said.

"Yeah, well it's all a part of your redemption… consider it the atonement of Fredward Benson." She chuckled.

Freddie said nothing. A few minutes later they had pulled into his parking place, got out and went up to his door.

"I've got a couple ideas, Benson. I need you to see if they will work out…" Sam said while walking into the apartment.

She sat at the table with the computers and motioned for him to take a seat.

"First, where is Cassie right now?" Sam said.

Freddie sat down and brought up the 'where is' program. A few minutes later he brought up Google earth and showed it to Sam…

"She's at this Vons Supermarket on Harbor Boulevard, near her house." Freddie said.

"At least her phone's there…" Sam mused.

"Well, yeah…" Freddie replied.

"Can you get all the personal information about everyone? Andy, Cassie and the girlfriends?" Sam asked.

"That's easy; I have all their credit applications." Freddie replied.

"Perfect, print them all out for me… get your keys, you're driving me to my work." Sam said.

"Why?" He asked.

"It's a hoop, c'mon, let's go… I have this hunch…" She replied.

* * *

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Yeah, I know... a short chapter. But it HAD to end there! :)


	15. Great Minds

All's fair

Chapter 15: Great Minds

Freddie shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts while he printed out all the information Sam had asked for. He'd had most of it previously, already neatly filed away in his three ring binder. As the new pages printed, he slipped them in the binder next to the person's previous information.

Finishing, he handed the binder to Sam, and she began to thumb trough it. Making approving hums all the while. He picked up his keys, held the door for Sam and went back out to his car.

The drive was mostly silent, except for Sam's continued musing about the files… until she slapped the book closed…

"Freddie, this is going to work… I know it is!" She said.

"Huh?" Was his enlightened rejoinder.

"My idea, that's what's going to work." She said smiling smugly.

"Um… okay… what's your idea." He asked.

"In a bit… pull in there, use the card…" Sam said handing him an ID card.

He took the card as he pulled up next to a security box in front of the closed gate. Slipping the card in the slot, the gate rolled to the side and he drive in the parking area. Sam gave him directions for where to park, and in a few more moments they were inside her building walking down numerous hallways… Opening a door that resembled twenty other doors in the long hallway, they came into a large room filled with cubicles. Freddie followed Sam as she navigated the aisles… go straight here, left turn there, two right turns. Suddenly she stopped, grabbed a chair from the cubicle behind her and pushed it next to another chair in what was obviously her cubicle.

They sat.

"Okay, here is my home away from home… hold on a sec while I boot up my computer…" Sam said while pushing the power button.

Sam began looking through the binder again while Freddie took in her cubicle. Surprisingly, it was neat and tidy, but then her apartment had been the same. There were some post it notes stuck to a couple of things with various notes to herself… the normal in / out / working basket and three other things that made him grin. Stuck to the carpet like walls of the cubicle walls were three pictures, one of Sam and her sister, another of Sam and Carly, and the largest was of her and him from when they had been together years before.

Freddie decided not to mention it.

Sam's computer was up and running by this time. She was typing information from the binder into the computer nearly as fast as he would. Soon, she sat back and grinned while some papers were being printed noisily on a printer at the end of the aisle.

"Want to get those?" She asked.

Returning with the printouts, Sam poured over a couple of things before pushing them over in front of Freddie.

"Lookee here Mr. Benson…" She said setting the papers down in front of him.

Sam went over the packet of papers with Freddie, showing him that the only person that did _not_ have a life insurance policy is Anne Malbry.

"…so you see, they all have new policies with claims, even Andy and his wife Cindy. Well, everyone except Betty Florence. She has the policy but no claim filed… yet, and of course me." Sam finished.

Freddie was stunned.

This meant that the Malbry woman was the one doing this, murdering them. The only ones that may still have been alive were Betty Florence and Sam.

"This Malbry gal has all the insurance policies through the same insurer? Wouldn't that throw up flags all over the place?" Freddie asked as though in a haze.

"That's just it. All the policies are from different insurance companies. I just have access to the clearing house for claims that are ready to be paid. All these are paying to different accounts, but the accounts are all in the same bank in Belize."

"So… Anne has murdered Andy, Cindy and the Lockwood woman for the insurance money… and revenge. How much are the policies for? How did she get Andy and Cindy?" Freddie asked.

"Each policy is for a half a million bucks. The Death Certificates are in the back of the packet of papers…" Sam said as she rifled through the stack.

"Here it is, The Lockwood woman was killed in the car wreck, we knew that already. The Freeman's were killed in a boating accident on Upper Castaic Lake, just north of Los Angeles last weekend. The claim for Andrea Lockwood will be paid later this week. The Freeman claim is set to be funded this week and paid the next week after… Why is it that Cassie Freeman's phone is moving around if she's dead?" Sam mused.

"Shit, Sam… this Malbry is fucking nuts!" Freddie hissed.

"Yeah, that's obvious. I still want to know why Cassie's phone is moving around." Sam asked pointedly.

"Oh, well here, look… Mrs. Freeman's phone is a Vortex 7000. It's got everything, including a fairly up to date computer for a phone. We sell quite a few of them. See… my paperwork shows that the Malbry woman has a pretty basic phone and plan. The Freeman's had everything available on their phone." Freddie answered while showing Sam one of his printouts.

Sam nodded. "So you think she's using that phone since it's… spiffy?" She asked.

"I guess. Yeah, it's spiffy. Sam… are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Maybe… what did you have in mind?" She answered.

"Well, I'm thinking of two things actually. First, we have to get Anne Malbry arrested for murder and attempted murder. Second, there is all that money…" Freddie said grinning.

"Great minds Mr. Benson… great minds…" Sam said grinning back.

Sam's grin turned into a look of astonishment when Freddie grabbed her shoulders and kissed her.

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	16. So where's my bra?

All's fair

Chapter 16: So... where's my bra?

Sam let him kiss her for just a bit too long she thought. Of course, she _was_ kissing back… running her fingers through his hair and pulling him closer. Or as close as she could since they were both sitting in office chairs.

Until she pushed him away.

"Um, okay, I'm sorry…" Freddie stammered.

Sam shook her head, thinking that maybe she had punished him a tiny bit too much.

But then again… maybe she hadn't. She looked at him for a moment, taking in his confused expression. 'Now what' she thought to herself…

"Oh, what the hell." Sam said out loud.

She grabbed him by the shirt front and stood up, pulling him up with her. Now he was the one looking astonished. She kicked the chairs out into the aisle and pushed him up against the cubicle wall… and kissed him.

"I've had this…" she kissed him "…fantasy ever since…" she kissed him "…I came to work…" she kissed him "…here." Sam said between kisses.

She continued kissing him for a few moments longer, then grabbed the front of his pants, undid the button, pulled down the zipper, and pants him. She knelt down in front of him, yanked down his boxers, looked up at his so very astonished face, grinned mischievously, and took him in.

She worked him for a bit, until she noticed his hands were balling into fists and his knees started to quiver.

She stopped.

She licked his entire length very, very slowly… then stood. She looked him in the eye; never taking her eyes off his while she undid her pants button, lowered her zipper and shimmied out of her pants.

Once they were both naked from the waist down, she grabbed his arm, gave him a gentle tug, turned and bent over her desk.

He knew exactly what to do at that point.

He took her from behind, then in her chair, then sat her on the desk and did her again. Twenty six minutes later they were completely nude, glistening with perspiration and panting laboriously.

"Fulfill… that… fantasy?" Freddie croaked between breaths.

Sam tried to answer, but was still too far out of breath to get anything out. She opened her mouth, shut it, grimaced and continued gulping in air…

"…damn Benson…" She finally blurted out.

Freddie grinned.

"C'mon Sam, get dressed. We need to get back to the apartment. I need to check some stuff out on my computer."

Before she could answer, other than to nod in agreement, Freddie stared at her for a moment. He took the single step needed to once again stand directly in front of her. Since she was still sitting on her desk, legs spread; he easily slipped himself inside her again.

Sam shuddered and moaned.

While the previous session seemed to be seeing how many things they could knock off her desk onto the floor, this time was slow; made up of sweet caresses and kisses.

Afterward, they began picking up the various office items they had knocked onto the floor during round one… both still completely nude. After getting the cubicle straightened out, they began searching for their various items of clothing that had seemed to have ended up everywhere, even neighboring cubicles. Sam stopped for a moment after finding her bra two cubicles away and turned to watch Freddie, who was just getting up from retrieving his T shirt and one of her socks from under the workspace across the aisle from Sam's.

"I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to be able to work here tomorrow… I mean I'm standing here, dripping bits of Freddie DNA all over the floor, watching your naked ass while you crawl around under Lori's desk. I'm afraid I'll never be able to get any work done…" Sam said grinning.

Freddie returned the smile, and handed her the sock.

Sam gathered up her clothes while Freddie did the same. Soon, she announced that she needed to go to the rest room to 'freshen up a bit'. They both chuckled at that.

Freddie followed her into the ladies…

"Um… Freddie, the men's room is just around the corner…"

"Afraid I'm going to see something, Sam?"

Sam smirked; "Guess not, huh…" She said as she walked into a stall.

Shortly, she joined Freddie out in the hallway; walking back to her cubicle to retrieve their papers, Sam noticed Freddie was smirking…

"Look Benson: Don't get any big ideas about this little dalliance… You just fulfilled a fantasy of mine. That's all… Don't put too much into this…" She said harshly.

"Bullshit…" Freddie replied.

Sam stopped him, grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face her. "Bullshit nothin'…" She said with a glare.

Freddie took her hands, looked her in the eye, and again said; "Bullshit".

Sam pushed him away, started to say something else, shook her head and sighed.

"Yeah, that was a load of BS. I guess… I guess we're back together. But you don't have to be so damn smug about it though." She said resignedly.

"Who's smug?" Freddie said smirking.

"You, and knock it off… Damn it, I wanted to make you suffer for a few more days." She replied smiling.

Freddie began to gather up their papers while grinning.

"And thanks… I mean I was a little surprised you wanted to help me out after… well, you know." She said quietly.

Freddie sat the binders and paperwork on her desk, turned to her and gathered her up into a hug, not saying a word. After a bit, he stood back, picked up their papers and nodded toward the door.

"Ready?" He asked.

Sam nodded and led him back out to the parking lot. Freddie opened his trunk and put the papers and files in it. Stepping back around to the passenger door, he unlocked it and opened it. Before Sam could get in the car he pulled her into another hug. Kissing her neck, he quietly whispered "Thank you" near her ear.

She looked at him and nodded briefly before saying; "But this is it… no more chances if you screw up. No other women… like you said before, no mind games, no screwing up… and as long as all of your previous crap is now out in the open, I won't walk if I get mad at something stupid."

"Good, great… and yes it is. You know everything now. So we're going into this with open eyes." He replied.

Freddie stepped back and helped her in the car. Shutting the door, he walked around to the driver's side and got in. Fumbling around in his pockets for the keys, he finally found them and drove them out of the parking lot and towards the apartment.

Once on the freeway, Sam turned to Freddie; "So, what about that money?" She said.

"So, what about the Florence woman? And getting Malbry behind bars?" Freddie replied.

"mmhmm… well, can we do all three?" Sam wondered aloud.

Freddie snapped his head around to look at Sam and mumbled; "I'm glad I haven't got your nerve in my tooth…"

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	17. Pictures of palm trees

All's fair

Chapter 17: Pictures of palm trees…

They were almost back at their apartment complex turn off when Freddie made a wrong turn. Sam didn't say anything, but did indeed give him a questioning look…

"We're moving…" Freddie said.

"Oh! Okay… how come?" Sam asked.

"Police reports with addresses… Malbry… too many people know where we both are." Freddie said as he pulled into the parking lot of the Motel Six he had stayed at previously.

Sam nodded in agreement. Freddie parked, got out and went into the office. Returning in a few minutes, he got back in the car and continued driving to the apartment. They discussed what they would need and what they could leave as far as clothes and necessities went. Sam made a list.

Arriving at Freddie's apartment, they both began to gather the items they had listed and pack them in suitcases. Finally, there were five cases of various sizes sitting by the front door. Freddie pulled two more large suitcases out of his closet and put them on the pile. Opening one, Sam noticed it was full of various cell phones and accessories. Freddie pulled two matching phones. Handing one to her, he explained:

"These are satellite phones, not cell phones. These are nearly impossible to trace unless you have satellite access, and that is very rare. If I can trace a cell phone, so could Malbry… if she knows how. No sense to take chances, well do it this way…"

He went on to give Sam her new number, and placed both their old cell phones on their chargers; with the phones on. He then called for a taxi. Sam looked surprised, but then smiled, and said:

"We're leaving the cars and phones here, aren't we… very good Mr. Benson, very good… but what will we get around in?"

"I'll surprise you…" Freddie said, and then kissed her.

They both checked and re-checked their lists until the cabby knocked at the door. The three of them loaded the trunk with their baggage, and then got in the cab.

"John Wayne Airport." Freddie told the driver.

In less than twenty minutes the driver had dropped them off at the airport terminal. Freddie thought for a moment, and then piled the baggage together in such a fashion that Sam had a small couch.

"Stay here with the stuff, I'll be back soon." Freddie told her while giving Sam a hug. Sam grimaced momentarily, smiled, nodded and settled in on the 'couch'. She watched him as he caught a tram, and disappeared into the distance. She looked as if her thoughts were a million miles away, but soon regained her composure. After about forty five minutes, a Ford mini van stopped in front of her. The side door opened and Freddie stepped out smiling…

"I just knew you'd want one of these so you could practice being a soccer mom." He chuckled.

"Uh huh…" Sam replied, glaring.

They loaded the van and drove back to the motel. Sam was still reflective, quiet. Freddie was too involved in his own thoughts to really notice.

They both unloaded the van, and made a semblance of unpacking… knowing that they would be camping in the room for a while. Freddie was fidgety; he began unpacking and setting up his computers. Sam sat on the edge of the bed watching him for a while, and then said she was tired and decided to take a nap. Left to his own devices, he had managed to track Anne Malbry to the Freeman home. He hadn't thought that would change. The Florence woman was all over the map. As long as the two map points didn't coincide, Betty Florence was relatively safe.

Checking further into the cell phone that Anne Malbry was using; Cindy's old phone, Freddie noticed that there were quite a few messages going back and forth to a number with a 501 country code, which is Belize. He read through the messages, not noting anything uncommon. Mostly the messages dealt with methods and requirements for currency transfers out of Belize. He printed most of those. The one message he was very interested in was the identification processes in place at the bank. They required a photo ID, voice recognition, and the account number. The normally secret account number would not be a problem, since most of the messages had referenced the account by number. It was the photo that bothered Freddie. It had already been sent, and was of the Malbry woman. There was no way possible Sam could pass for Anne. Their hair, facial features, height and weight were very different. The good thing was that the voice recognition recording was due to take place the next day, and was to be done on the phone. He had an idea…

Rerouting any calls originating from the 501 country code was no problem. He finished that in about five minutes. The phone the Malbry woman had wouldn't even ring. The picture could be a problem, but not if his idea worked. There was no testing it though; the entire process would have to be done on the fly. He just hoped it would work. The bank had sent specific words and numbers for Ms. Malbry to repeat in a text message. He printed it out. Next he masked one of the spare cell phones he had; basically, he made it look like the phone was operating from Belize. When anyone was called from that phone, it would ID as from the 501 country code. He was tired, but he was done… Sam was sleeping soundly; he crawled into bed and soon was doing the same.

Monday morning; they both called in sick to work. Sam was getting dressed, and going over the items and plans Freddie had printed out for her. Belize was two hours ahead of California. The voice recognition process was set for 3:00 PM in Belize. That was 1:00 PM for Freddie and Sam… Freddie was nervous, but at noon, called the phone the Malbry woman was using. Freddie spoke to her in slightly broken English with a heavy Spanish accent. He asked for Ms. Malbry to repeat the message that had been sent to her previously. She recited it perfectly. It matched what Freddie had printed out. He had her do it again, '…just for the checking…' Freddie had told her in his accented English. Ms. Malbry had complied. Freddie thanked her, and began to end the conversation when Anne asked;

"Why did you call an hour early?"

He had foreseen that question and replied;

"We're not having daylight time, you were an hour off?"

The woman seemed to buy that, and thanked him and hung up. Freddie took a tissue and wiped his brow, he was sweating. He then had Sam stand next to a blank wall, and took her picture with the phone.

At the appointed time, the _real _call came, rerouted to his number. He gave the phone to Sam and hoped for the best. Sam played the part perfectly. She recited the numbers and words the bank had sent… the caller informed her that all was well, the phrases were a match, and the recording for voice recognition was finished.

Now it was time to find out if Freddie's idea was going to work…

"You know, I think I may have sent the wrong picture earlier. Can I send you another picture so you can compare it?" Sam asked the bank employee on the phone.

"Of course you may! Please transmit the picture at once." He replied.

Freddie took the phone, brought up Sam's picture and pressed send. After a moment, the bank representative confirmed that he had received the new picture;

"…yes, this new picture is very different. What happened?" He asked.

Sam went on to explain that she had originally sent a picture of a friend by mistake; she had chosen the wrong picture file on her phone. The bank employee told Sam that he had replaced the original picture with the new, and then sent a copy of the picture back to Sam for her to confirm.

"…yes, that's me…" Sam replied.

The caller thanked Sam, and hung up.

Sam and Freddie looked at each other, and smiled. After some celebratory sex, Sam determined that they really needed to figure out how to save the Florence woman. Most of the rest of Monday was spent trading ideas on how to do that… interspersed with more celebratory sex.

Tuesday, they got up, got ready and went to their respective jobs. Freddie had offered to come by and take Sam to lunch. Sam kissed him, and told him she would be in a meeting that included lunch, and may be late besides. Freddie frowned at that, but Sam managed to kiss his frown upside down. Sam drove, and dropped Freddie off at his store. She took the van to her work; Freddie would wait at his work for her to pick him up that evening.

Everything was going perfectly. They sent text messages and called back and forth a number of times during the day… bouncing ideas around about what their own plans were, how to save the Florence woman and how to get the Malbry woman behind bars. It was going to be tricky, but Sam told him she had come up with a great idea during one of her phone calls. He wanted her to tell, but she wouldn't, yet.

"…tonight, after we celebrate some more…" She told him in a seductive whisper. He couldn't wait.

His shop closed at nine. He had expected her to be there before then, but she had said she would be late. He spent the time catching up on the never ending, and always growing pile of paperwork on his desk. Ten o'clock; Freddie sent her a text… no reply, he called… no answer. At about 10:45 PM, his phone rang. It was Sam… He answered the phone while he turned off the lights, and made his way toward the doors leading outside.

"Hey Sam! Pick me up by the back doors, please. I'm starving… we'll get something to eat on the way to the motel…" He said.

"Um… hold on, Freddie…" Sam replied. After a moment, a mans voice said "Hi buddy… this is Andy… you remember, Andy Freeman? And thanks so much for all the help, we couldn't have pulled this off without you!"

Freddie was stunned to silence.

"What's the matter buddy, hearing ghosts?" Andy asked laughing.

"YOU'RE DEAD!" Freddie yelled.

"Well, no… I'm not. But without your help, Sammy and I could not have pulled this off. Her working in the insurance industry, and me having some knowledge of cell phones… well, you get the picture. None of those women are dead buddy, well the Lockwood gal is, but we didn't do it. She died in a regular old traffic accident. That's what got me to thinking about how we could make a couple bucks. Sammy got the insurance forms backdated… well, it all worked like a charm. We managed to keep you busy, and off my back with all those phones we put in random cars… they were all over the place, huh… My and my wives murder was contrived by ole' Sammy here. We used bodies found in a morgue that had a bribable employee… yep, ole' Sammy here got it all lined up. Even down to texting me this morning about your noon call. She did nearly kill herself with that gas thing in her apartment… but it all worked, didn't it."

"But, I talked to the Malbry woman yesterday… about the account!" Freddie interjected.

"Hmmm… no, you didn't. You talked to an aspiring young actress who thinks she was being tested for a part in a movie… I think she did a great job! Don't you, Benson? Well buddy, we just had the money transferred to another bank… somewhere. You really don't need to know where. We're set for a very long time. How's that saying go? Oh yeah… All's fair… yep, all's fair. We've really got to run, planes to catch and such… Here, just a second…" Andy said.

Freddie heard a click… in a moment; he got a picture on his phone. It was a picture of a smiling Sam and Andy standing in front of a backlit copse of palm trees at some airport.

Then the call ended.

Freddie stared at the picture for a moment, and then threw the phone against the wall…

* * *

Well now, isn't this… something?

Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of

_**= All's Fair =**_

* * *

Who am I reading at the moment?

WhiteKnightro & Tanzy Petals

* * *

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	18. Breaking Point

All's fair

Chapter 18: Breaking Point

Seven months later:

It was raining, hard. It was raining so hard he could barely make out the white lane dividers on the '5'. Luckily, hardly anyone was on the freeway, heading south. Going north was another matter. He never was able to get used to the traffic patterns in California. The rhythm of his windshield wipers was beginning to make him drowsy, with good reason. It was a quarter till midnight, and he'd been up since four this morning. He had attended this month's mandatory Systems Administration meeting in L.A. Then a group of them had gone out to dinner, then to a club. He knew he had a long drive home, so had not had anything stronger than coffee to drink. But, even with all that caffeine, he was still tired.

He was heading back home… back to his almost new, repossessed and foreclosed on condo he'd purchased in Oceanside, just north of San Diego. He never would have been able to afford owning anything in a place like Oceanside a couple of years ago. Now, the quantity of foreclosures had driven the market down so much they were much cheaper than rent.

He glanced at an upcoming exit sign; 'Tustin Next 7 exits'. That woke him up. He began reminiscing about his recent 'Sam' adventures that mostly took place within a mile of where he was at the moment. When Sam left him the first time, all those years ago, he was devastated. That single act had put him on this path. The second time she had left, after she found out how he had manipulated her and her 'friends', he was hurt. But, he was able to deal with it easy enough. The third time he was angry; he'd been used and he hadn't figured it out until it was all over. He should have seen it coming after she left the second time. Sam didn't leave because of the way he had found her. She'd left because it was possible that he had found out too much. He may have figured out how to ruin the plans that she and Andy had begun to carry out. That's also the reason she needed saving... the cut brake line, the gas in her apartment. She and Andy needed him to believe that he was her knight in shining armor. And it had worked...

The third time was also what changed him, he thought to himself. He'd been morose, angry that he had been fooled so easily. Fortunately, it had changed the way he did things; changed his outlook. After about a week of some minor depression, he'd decided that he was the one that needed to change. He had switched jobs first; returning to the Systems Analysis and Administration job he had done when he was just out of school. He was still with the same corporation, but this job actually challenged him. The pay was much better, and he was able to mostly work from home. He liked that… it cut down on many 'temptations' that occurred in a retail setting. He knew he was still no angel, not by any means. Now he was just more selective of the women he went with. He chuckled when he thought of another improvement to this new lifestyle… he wasn't searched out and beaten by enraged husbands or boyfriends. That was a real plus.

With the increase in pay he was able to purchase a condominium. He liked owning his home. Sure, he was making payments, but now the money went for something. He thought that after five or six years he may be able to actually afford a house.

Some jackass zipped off an on ramp, came over two lanes, and then slowed down to a crawl right in front of him. That popped Freddie out of his reverie… he slowed, moved to the middle lane, and passed the idiot with a glare that the fool would never be aware of. He scanned his instrument panel and noticed he needed gas… he _really_ needed gas. Damn… he _did not_ feel like pulling off the freeway, but he knew he had too.

He was out of the Tustin area, but he knew there was a gas station at the Jeffery Road turnoff in Irvine just ahead. He took the off ramp, wound around Walnut Avenue, crossed Jeffery Road and then pulled into the gas station.

The place was nearly deserted. He pulled out his ATM card, swiped it in the pump and began pumping his gas. He was getting just a bit damp, not wet… damp. The roof over the pumps kept most of the rain away, but not all. He sat back in his warm car to escape both the rain and the cold wind. He watched as an old beat up Chrysler pulled into the station, and then continued around to the back of the cashier's kiosk at the rear of the lot. After a moment a heavily tattooed young woman knocked at the door on the side of the kiosk. It opened and tattoo girl went in. Freddie looked at his watch; midnight.

'Shift change' Freddie thought.

The gas nozzle 'thumped' off. He got out of his car, removed the nozzle and was in the process of placing it back in its cradle when he noticed the blond woman coming out of the kiosk. He thought her hair looked a lot like Sam's, but blonds in Southern California are pretty much a dime a dozen. His interest waned and he resumed staring at the pump, waiting for it to print his receipt.

Tattoo girl stuck her head out of the door and called to the woman, then asked her a brief question. He couldn't quite make out what tattoo girl had said, and frankly, didn't give a damn… his attention had become riveted on the obviously pregnant blond… a very pregnant Sam.

The receipt had printed; he grabbed it and slid into his car, ducking down slightly. Sam had answered tattoo girls question, opened a tattered and torn umbrella, and continued across the gas station lot. She turned right at the sidewalk and continued. He watched as she made her way down the dark sidewalk. After a moment, he moved the car out from under the gas islands roof, and parked next to the grass strip separating the sidewalk from the gas station. Sam trundled on towards a deserted bus stop awash in light. Freddie pulled his car back onto the street and parked again at the curbside, facing the bus stop. She was about a block ahead of him, nearly at the bus stop when she stopped and pulled her light coat around herself, and then continued on to the bus stop and sat on the bench.

He pulled away from the curb slowly, a million thoughts running through his mind. 'I can just drive away…' he thought. But he knows he won't. He could drive up to the bus stop, roll down his window and berate her… tell her she got what was coming to her… or just pull up, roll down the window and laugh at her until she realized who he was, then drive away.

He liked the thought of that idea… it was cruel, and she had it coming.

While all the thought processes had been occurring he had continued to drive toward the bus stop. Now he was there. He stopped, rolled down the window and was just beginning to let out a loud guffaw at her expense, when he noticed something…

She was shivering.

Cold, scared… he wasn't sure, maybe both. But she was shivering and staring into the window of the car parked in front of her with a quizzical look.

He lost his former resolve.

"Sam!" He yelled.

Suddenly she grimaced, shook her head and stared back at him.

"Fuck off, Benson… just go away!" She yelled back.

"Just… just get over here, get in the car… it's warm at least, and dry." He said in a resigned tone.

"What, so you can laugh at me? So you can tell me how stupid I was? Go away Freddie, I have enough problems without you shoveling more at me." She said acidly.

"Sam, I could easily do that through the window… if I do decide to do that, at least you could get yelled at while warm and dry. Just… damn it Sam, quit being so damn independent! Get in the fucking car!" Freddie yelled.

She got up, stomped over, opened the door and wedged herself into the passenger seat. Freddie turned up the heat and raised the window.

"Listen asshole, if you think I'm going to just sit here and wait for you to yell at me… you've got another think coming. Just get it over with, so I can go back and wait for my bus." Sam said resignedly to the windshield.

"What happened?" Freddie asked quietly.

Sam turned her head slowly to face him; "Like you give a shit…" She shot back.

"Sam! If you're going to sit there and act like a raving bitch… what happened?" Freddie growled back.

Sam burst into tears. Freddie had been ready for almost any reaction from her, except this. In all their time together, this had never happened. Oh, he knew she had a few crying spells before. She had always hidden them from him. He was at a loss as to what to do. He reached across the console and gave her a sideways hug, which was about the best he could do in his car.

After a few minutes, she settled down and ranted for a moment about all the hormone crap that went along with being pregnant.

"…it seems all I can do anymore is bawl or pee! Which I need to do now… pee I mean. There's a restroom in the kiosk, will you drive me over?"

Freddie nodded, put the car in gear and pulled back into the gas station lot. Parking next to the door he had seen her exit earlier, Sam opened the door and got out. Turning back, before she closed the door she asked;

"Will you be here when I get back?"

"Yeah, I will…" He replied.

She nodded, closed the car door and knocked on the kiosk door. In a moment, tattoo girl opened it and Sam went inside.

Freddie stared at the kiosk door for a moment. Thoughts were racing through his mind; He had her where he could ruin her… he could just drive away. She would never come to find him… never. She had it coming… she had lied to him, abandoned him… why should he even try with her. This could be the final thing between them… he would win. He could look back on this moment for the rest of his life and think he had finally got back at the bitch… He put the car in gear…

The bus drove up to the bus stop, slowed, and continued on. He slipped the gearshift back into 'Park' and shook his head. The kiosk door opened, Sam stepped out, opened the car door and got in.

"Thanks… I really didn't expect you to be here… so thanks for that." She said.

"The bus came…" He said.

Sam faced the dash, and nodded.

"Look, I can get you home. Are you staying at Andy's?" he asked.

Sam snorted. "No… After we called you, we went to a hotel near the airport. Andy said we had a flight to Italy early the next morning. So, we get up early, catch the flight, and have a stopover in Miami. That's where I met his '_niece_'. Oh yeah, sure… his niece. She was some nineteen or twenty year old drop dead gorgeous bitch… I could see the handwriting on the wall. Anyway, you can imagine what happened next. We had a huge fight in the middle of the Miami International Airport concourse. Security comes; blah blah… you get the picture. The best thing that happened there was I was left in a room alone with his sport coat for about five minutes. I grabbed his stuff out of the coat, his phone, a kind of expensive watch and about six hundred dollars cash. I told the security folks that all I wanted to do was to get away from him… I just wanted to go home. They let me go and I came back here. I'd quit my job… and really didn't want to go back there incase they ever figured out the stuff I did with those insurance policies… so here I am, broke… then I found out I was pregnant. So, that's it. That's where good ole Sam is now… happy?"

"No… how… I mean, you know… pregnant and all." Freddie asked.

"Well hun, you don't get like this from a box of Fruit Loops, do ya…" Sam answered caustically.

Freddie shook his head. "So, where is home, Sam?"

"I'm staying at Our Lady of something or other… a home for unwed mothers. It's an old hospital a bunch of nuns run. I've got a bed on the third floor. I don't have a home, but I have a place to sleep." Sam replied.

Freddie didn't answer. He stared straight ahead for a moment, put the car in gear and pulled back onto the street.

"Hey, this is the wrong way!" Sam said excitedly.

"What's left at the place you're staying, the home? Is there anything worth going after?" Freddie asked.

"What the… what do you think you're doing?" Sam yelled.

"Just answer the question. Do you have anything…?" Freddie started.

"NO! Just some socks and underwear and such… a pair of sweats, I've got everything I own here in my backpack, but what do you think…" Sam yelled back.

"That's just it, Sam. I'm thinking, since you obviously don't. I have a spare room; you can have it for as long as you want, Stay there, have the kid, and get back on your feet… we'll figure it out later… I really don't know, I must be fucking insane… but that is what I'm doing…" He stopped at the entrance to the on ramp "…The last time I checked, we're not exactly 'mom and dad' material, and we're both pretty fucked up in the head. But it doesn't mean that the kid has to be that way. So come, stay at my place or get out of the car, and don't look back." He said.

"Fine, take me to your place." She said glaring at him.

"Good, but we do need to make a stop on the way…" He replied.

Her glare continued. By the time he pulled into the parking lot of the twenty four hour Target Store, she was asleep. He left her in the car, and picked up some sweats, underwear, slippers, shoes, socks, toothbrush and any other necessitates he thought she would need until he could bring her back tomorrow.

She was still asleep when he pulled into his parking spot at home and gently nudged her awake.

"We're here, my place. I'm on the second floor, but I'll help you get upstairs. C'mon…" He said helping her out of the car.

Sam sat on a couch that was much to low for her to get out of now. She was pissed… she hated having to be helped just getting around now, stairs, low chairs… She was also very touched. She had expected the worst from Freddie. She still wasn't sure why he was doing this. 'Maybe he's just waiting for me to be the most vulnerable…' she mused.

He had enthroned her on the couch and told her to rest while he went back to the car to pick up the things he had purchased. 'As if she had a choice, sitting on the couch / prison.' She thought. He returned in a bit, carrying a number of 'Target' bags.

"We went to Target? That's my favorite store? Why didn't you wake me up? I have a little money, I need a few things." She said.

"You were snoozin'… and I hope this stuff fits. I have some groceries too… I need to put them away. Go through the stuff and tell me how awful I did. We can go back later today after we get some sleep and get anything else you'll need and exchange my mistakes." He said grinning.

She watched him walk away into the kitchen with a couple of bags. She could feel it coming on… damn, she hated being like this. She opened the first bag. The shoes were too small for her now swollen feet. They could be returned though. She sat that bag aside and picked up the next… sweats, that _would_ fit. The first tear slid down her cheek and dripped on the sweatshirt. By the time she had gotten through about half the bags she had a full on sobbing fest going on.

Freddie walked back to the front room, sat down and held her as she sobbed into his shirt. Finally, she pushed him away.

"Why! Why would you do this? After all…" She broke again… Freddie could see her 'crumple'. In a way, he liked the fact that she was 'awash in that old sea of guilt'. He decided she needed a little more time floating around in that ocean. He didn't say a thing. She ranted; raved and wailed… he would nod at the appropriate times, and let her go on.

He saw this as the breaking of a wild mare… if it worked, it would be his finest, and final manipulation. If it didn't… well, he would cross that bridge when he got there. She finally ran down, exhausted; she lay back on the couch.

"Okay, here's why. First, what are the chances of this kid being mine?" He asked.

Sam stared at him for a moment before she answered; "…ninety percent, or better." She replied.

Freddie smiled, then continued; "I've always been there, bailed you out of your screw ups… this is just another of those, but it's kind of a major one. Now you're messing with what is very probably my child… Look, having a kid is expensive… I don't mean raising it, I mean just having it. Doctors, hospitals… it all adds up. My bet is that you don't have a dime for any of that. Yeah, the 'home' would foot the bill but what kind of care do they provide? Why are you out working in some gas station until all hours? I can fix that, but you may not like the method. I just bought this place, I don't have any money lying around at the moment, but, I have health insurance… it covers everything…"

He paused; afraid to go on, but… here is where he finds out if he did break her, if she will finally…

"…but it's only for me and my wife. For the insurance to work, we have to be married."

She stared at him wide eyed, her jaw dropped but she said nothing.

"I picked these up at the jewelers counter… their just some simple, cheap gold bands… want it?" He asked showing her the plastic box they were in.

He noticed a tear threading its way down her cheek. She held out her arms and said; "…help me up." He stood, took her arms and pulled, she used this leverage to push him back onto the couch and bury herself into the crook of his neck, and bawl.

The baby bump was, well, uncomfortable for him with her lying on top of him. He shifted a bit to make both of them more comfortable all the while she was soaking his shoulder with tears. He began to rub her back.

"So… is this a yes?" He asked after a while.

She nodded her head, still buried in the crook of his neck.

"Then, say it…" He told her.

She raised herself up, looked him in the eye, and whispered; "Yes…"

She was broken, he thought. It had worked. He smiled, and hugged her.

"So, when?" Sam asked wiping her face and nose on his sleeve.

"Monday, at the County Clerks… quick and simple… okay?" He replied grinning.

She nodded. "Take me to bed… I'm sorry, but I'm so tired and my feet are killing me." She said quietly.

"Um… are you sure? I mean…" he asked gently rubbing her belly.

"Well, no sex you nub! I'm kind of off limits there for a while. But, I'll be back in a few months… you'll find out" She said smiling. "But, would you mind holding me? That… I really miss that." Sam continued.

Fourteen months later:

Little Claire was toddling around the back yard, under the watchful eyes of her mom. Freddie had just finished putting away the lawn mower after tidying up the yard. Everyone was excited; Claire's first birthday was in two days and the whole fam damily was flying out to California… Mel, her husband Jon, and their broodlings. Carly and whoever she was seeing this week… her goofy brother… even the grandmom's… They would all be here tomorrow. Freddie had fleeting thoughts about inventing a business meeting somewhere far away… then walked up behind Sam and gave her a good grope, along with a kiss on the nape of her neck.

She turned, feigning outrage, and then grabbed his shirt, saying "…you just wait until the baby's nap time mister. You'll pay for that!" And then she kissed him.

Freddie sat in a lawn chair, watching his family… thinking how lucky it was that Claire looked like a mini Sam, and thinking back on all the 'other' old times. He'd done it. He'd broken her… but in a good way. She had no secrets, he had two… two very large secrets. He chuckled…

The first secret was about Andy. Oh yeah, good ole Andy. Sam had indeed made off with his phone when she robbed his coat in Miami. He'd found it at the bottom of her backpack a few days after they got back together. Maybe it was the day they got married… he couldn't quite remember. He was sure Andy would have changed his number, and all that stuff when he discovered his phone was gone, and he had. Freddie's bet was that Globalstar, the satellite phone company Andy was with, hadn't changed his account, just his number. Freddie was right. After a few hours he had found and cleaned out Andy's Deutsche Bank account and transferred it back to a blind account. After a few more tricks, Freddie had nearly eight hundred thousand dollars sitting in an account that only he could access. He'd paid off the condo, bought them each cars; a minivan for Sam, and a pickup for him. When they had needed more room, he bought this nice little place and rented the condo. He still had about three hundred thousand in the bank. He'd told Sam he had gotten some inheritance. She bought it without question, especially since it meant she didn't have to work. The _piece de resistance_ was hitting Andy's phone records with a bunch of fake phone calls, seeming to out members of the Russian Mafia. Next, he posted those calls on a number of public media sites. Those folks play rough… Andy hadn't been heard from for a while.

The second secret was huge. Long before getting back together with Sam, almost eight years ago in fact, he had gotten a scare. One of his 'girlfriends' at the time called and told him she was pregnant. That was bad… she was just some hookup, she was married, and he really wanted nothing to do with her. Then everything was okay… she wasn't preggo, just late. That had scared him though - it had been a rough couple of days… so, he'd had a vasectomy. Yep, he was shootin' blanks… There is no way Claire was his, but Sam was, and Claire was as good as… neither of them would ever know. He'd take that to the grave.

Why? Well, because… All's fair…

* * *

_**-fini-**_

_**= All's fair =**_

* * *

Thanks to the Earl of Sandwich for some incredible ideas for this

chapter, and to KingxLeon21 for editing and putting up with me!

* * *

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